THE 


RAIL-ROADS, 


HISTORY  AND  COMMERCE 


C  H  I  C  A  G  O. 


COOK  COCSTT  COCR 


SKl'OM)  KMTION  OF  fc.OOd 


THREE  ARTICLES  PUBLISHED  IN  THE  DAILY  DEMOCRATIC  PRESS. 


CHICAGO,    ILLINOIS: 

DEMOCRATIC  PRESS  JOB   AND  HOOK  STEAM  PRINTING  OFFICE,  4,')  CLARK  ST. 

1854. 


EEES  &  KERFOOT, 

LAND  mm,  REAL  ESTATE 


AND 


STOCK  BROKERS, 

€lark  Street,  Chicago,  JUinois. 


Make  all  their  deposits  with,  and  effect  their  exchanges  through 

TT  us* 
JL  Jtf 


And  through  him  have  made  arrangements  for  the  REM1TANCE  of  FUNDS  to  and  from  ALL 
PARTS  OF  THE  BRITISH  DOMINIONS,  CONTINENTAL  EUROPE  AND  THE  UNITED 
STATES.  Remittances  may  be  made  through  him  and  his  several  Correspondents  as  published 
iu  his  card,  (page  73,)  and  thus  REKS  &  KERFOOT  offer  their  services  10  PERSONS  OF  ALL  •  LAS- 
SES AND  i  OUNTRIES,  pledsrinc  themselves  to  a  faithful  discharge  of  thtir  duties  in  making 
INVESTMENTS  IN  OR  SALES  OF  REAL  ESTATE. 

***  For  the  benefit  of  non-residents  of  the  United  States,  R.  &  K.  beg  to  saj,  that,  by  the 
laws  of  Illinois,  Foreigners  can  hold  Real  Estate,  and  dispose  of  the  same.  Lands  as  beautiful 
as  the  grass  lawns  of  England,  or  the  cultivated  fields  of  the  continent  of  Europe,  can  be  pur- 
chased contiguous  to  Chicago  and  on  the  lines  of  her  numerous  Railways,  at  prices,  per  acre, 
ranging  from  five  shillings  to  four  pounds  sterling.  In  order  that  the  public  may  fully  understand 
the  confidence  that  is  entertained  in  the  permanent  and  increasing  value  of  Real  Estate  in  Chica- 
go and  vicinity,  R.  &  K.  will  undertake  to  guarantee  a  rise  of  from  six  to  ten  per  cent  per  an- 
num, (which  from  experience  they  know  to  be  a  safe  estimate,)  dependent  upon  the  rate  of  com- 
mission given  and  received  for  such  insurance  —  this  guarantee  to  hold  only  where  expressly  stipu- 
lated, and  to  stand  only  for  such  length  of  time  as  may  be  agreed  upon  by  them. 


unniTinm  TD  ruin/inn 
AIM  HUM  IU  UnlUAuU. 


Rees  &  Kerfoot  beg  leave  to  call  particular  attention  to  this  Property  lying  wholly  within  the  lim- 
its of  the  city,  and  having  upwards  of  5.000  feet  of  River  front,  and  which  has  lately  been  sub- 
divided and  placed  in  Market. 

It  offers  to  persons  desiring  to  establish  MANUFACTURES  opportunities  which  can  be  enjoyed  in 
no  other  part  of  the  city.  Situated,  as  its  title  indicates,  on  the  South  Bianch  of  the  Chicago 
River,  it  lies  immediately  between  the  heart  and  center  of  business,  and  the  point  of  the  City  at 
which  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  connects  with  the  Chicago  River.  It  is  thus  evidently  the 
site  of  the  MANUFACTURING  DISTRICT  ..f  the  city. 

Lumber,  Coal,  Iron,  and  all  materials,  with  manufactured  ai  tides  can  be  most  conveniently 
received  at  and  discharged  from  this  point  by  Lake,  Canal,  Railroad  and  Teams. 

Property  for  ACTUAL  USE  will  be  sold  at  reasonable  prices  and  on  terms  to  suit  the  means  and 
convenience  of  purchasers  for  such  purpose. 

(SEE  PAGES    72    AND    73.) 


THE 


I 


HISTORY  AND   COMMERCE 


CHICAGO 


coo*;  oouswr  COOST  House, 


SECOND  EDIHOK. 


CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS: 
PRESS  JOB  A^  BOOK  STEAM  PRINTING  OFFICE,  45  CLARKE  ST. 

1354:. 


MILWAUKEE  AND  FOND  DU  LAC  R.  R. 
A  road  is  chartered,  and,  if  we  mistake  not,  it 
is  under  contract  from  Milwaukee  to  Fond  du 
Lac,  a  distance  of  about  sixty  miles.  It  runs 
through  a  fine  portion  of  Wisconsin,  and  while 
it  will  mainly  benefit  Milwaukee,  it  will  be  of 
great  advantage  also  to  Chicago,  as  it  will  place 
us  in  direct  railroad  communication  with  Lake 
Winnebago,  and  will  doubtless  bring  a  large 
trade  to  this  city. 

RACINE  AND  BELOIT  RAILROAD. 

The  city  of  Racine  is  mainly  interested  in  the 
construction  of  this  road ;  but  it  will  act  as  an 
important  feeder  to  the  Chicago  and  Milwaukee 
Road,  and  open  to  this  city  the  trade  of  some  of 
the  finest  counties  in  the  State  of  Wisconsin.  It 
has  been  surveyed,  and,  we  believe,  is  under 
contract.  The  distances  from  Racine  to  Beloit  is 
about  sixty-five  miles. 

The  next  trunk  road  west  of  the  Milwaukee,  or 
Lake  shore  line,  is  the 

ILLINOIS  AND  WISCONSIN  R.  R. 

Hon.  WM.  B.  OGDEN,  President. 
HENRY  SMITH,  Vice  President. 
A.  S.  DOWNS,  Secretary. 
W.  S.  GURNEE,  Treasurer. 
S.  F.  JOHNSON,  Superintendent. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  important  roads  lead- 
log  into  the  city.  It  is  of  the  broad,  or  six  feet 
guage.  It  is  now  finished  and  cars  running  upon 
it,  thirty-two  miles  to  Deer  Grove.  The  grading 
is  nearly  done  to  Janesville,  Wisconsin,  eighty 
eight  and  a  half  miles,  and  it  is  to  be  completed 
to  that  city  by  the  first  of  July  next.  It  is  to 
run  on  nearly  an  air  line,  and  passes  through  one 
of  the  richest  agricultural  portions  of  Illinois  and 
Wisconsin.  Without  speaking  of  its  branches 
and  continuations,  it  is  safe  to  say,  that  the  busi- 
ness of  the  country  through  which  it  passes  would 
furnish  a  fair  dividend  to  the  stockholders.  The 
section  of  country  in  the  vicinity  of  the  road  is 
well  worthy  the  attention  tof  settlers,  as  unoccu- 
pied lands  of  excellent  quality  can  be  had  at  from 
two  to  ten  dollars  per  acre,  according  to  the  dis-  ! 
tance  they  are  from  a  town  or  station,  and  im-  ' 
proved  lands  at  from  fire  to  twenty  dollars.  On  j 
this  road  there  will  be,  on  the  first  day  of  May 
next,  two  passenger  trains  and  one  freight  train, 
per  day.  The  road  has  two,  and  virtually  three 
branches,  although  one  of  them  is  to  be  built 
under  a  separate  charter. 

FOND  DU  LAC  BRANCH. 
This  road  is  to  extend  from  Janesville  to  Fond 


du  Lac,  about  seventy-eight  miles.  It  is  under 
contract,  and  will  probably  be  completed  in  alJ 
during  the  year  1855.  It  passes  throngh  the 
counties  of  Rock,  Jeffci-son,  Dodge  and  Fond  du 
Lac,  and  will  bring  us  the  trade  and  travel  of  the 
very  heart  of  Wisconsin.  The  section  is  rich  in 
agricultural  resources,  and  its  trade  is  a  prize 
well  worthy  of  the  attention  it  has  received  from 
our  enterprising  merchants  and  business  men. 

MADISON  BRANCH. 

The  distance  from  Janesville  to  Madison  is 
thirty-five  miles.  This  branch  is  also  under  con- 
tract, and  is  to  be  completed  within  the  present 
year.  At  Madison  the  road  will  meet  two  other 
roads ;  but  it  does  not  become  us  to  say  in  thia 
article  whether  they  should  be  spoken  of  as  ex- 
tensions of  this  road,  or  of  the  Beloit  and  Madi- 
son extension  of  the  Galena  RoadT  soon  to  be 
noticed.  We  presume  the  guage  has  not  yet 
been  fully  determined.  But  before  speaking  of 
the  roads  running  northwest  of  Madison,  we  no- 
tice the  road  running  from  Janesville  to  Dubuque, 
Iowa.  It  is  called  the 

SOUTHERN  WISCONSIN  RAILROAD. 

This  road  is  to  be  of  the  six  feet  guage,  and  is 
in  fact,  we  believe,  pait  and  parcel  of  the  Illinois 
and  Wisconsin.  It  passes  through  the  counties 
of  Rock,  Green,  Lafayette  and  Grant — the  very 
heart  of  the  lead  region.  It  is  universally  con- 
ceded that  there  is  not  in  the  wide  world  a  sec- 
tion of  country  so  rich  in  this  mineral ;  and  none 
that  yields  so  cheaply  its  treasures  to  the  labors 
of  the  miner.  This  road  will  at  once  make  Chi- 
cago as  much,  if  not  more,  of  a  mart  for  the 
purchase  of  lead  than  our  sister  city  of  Galena, 
thus  adding  another  important  element  to  the 
sources  of  our  wealth  and  prosperity. 

But  this  is  not  all.  We  have  never  seen  better 
land,  or  a  section  more  admirably  adapted  to 
agricultural  pursuits,  than  that  through  which 
this  road  passes.  Moat  of  it  is  high  rolling  prai- 
rie ;  but  occasionally  you  find  vallies  of  surpass- 
ing richness  and  beauty.  Mining  seems  to  absorb 
the  attention  of  the  people ;  and  hence,  if  we 
consider  the  quality  of  the  soil,  farming  has  been 
sadly  neglected.  We  know  of  no  section  of 
Wisconsin  that  holds  out  greater  inducements  to 
the  hardy,  enterprising  emigrant.  Excellent 
farming  lands  can  be  had  along  the  route  at  from 
one  and  one  fourth  to  five  dollars  per  acre.  The 
length  of  the  road  is  about  ninety-eight  miles. 

The  next  trunk  road  that  we  notice  iu  order, 
is  the 


GALENA  &  CHICAGO  UfflON  R.  R. 

J.  B.  TCEXER,  Esq.,  President  and  Superin- 
tendent. 

P.  A.  HALL,  Assistant  Superintendent. 

WM.  M.  LARRABEE,  Secretary. 

N.  H.  TOWNER,  Secretary  of  the  Operating 
Department. 

WM.  II.  BROWN,  Esq.,  Treasurer. 

J.  VAN  NORTWICK,  Chief  Engineer. 

This  road  is  the  parent  of  the  Railroad  system 
of  Illinois.  After  surmounting  the  most  formi- 
dable obstacles,  it  demonstrated  beyond  the  pos- 
sibility of  a  doubt  that,  owing  to  the  cheapness 
with  which  railroads  could  be  built  across  our 
rich  and  beautiful  prairies,  they  would  pay  a 
large  dividend  to  the  stockholders.  This  import- 
ant fact  once  established,  it  was  not  difficult  to 
induce  capitalists,  both  at  home  and  in  the  East- 
ern States,  to  iavest  their  money  in  Illinois  rail- 
roads, and  hence,  at  the  present  time,  if  we  mis- 
take not,  no  State  in  the  Union  has  so  many 
miles  of  railroad  under  contract  and  rapidly  ap- 
proaching completion;  and  perhaps  no  other, 
save  New  York  and  Massachusetts,  has  so  many 
trunk  lines,  of  equal  length,  that  contribute  di- 
rectly to  their  wealth  and  prosperity.  Compari- 
sons in  reference  to  the  cost  of  the  Galena  show 
that  it  was  built  at  a  very  large  per  centage  less 
than  roads  of  equal  length  in  the  Eastern  States, 
and  that  it  can  be  operated  at  a  much  less  aver- 
age expense  per  mile.  Hence  the  large  divi- 
dends it  has  distributed  amomg  the  stockholders ; 
that  on  the  first  of  August  last  was  eleven  per 
cent ;  and  that  payable  on  the  first  of  February 
prox.  is  ten  per  cent.  A  very  fair  business  that 
for  a  road  that  less  than  four  years  ago  was 
obliged  to  borrow  money  on  th«  individual  credit 
of  its  President  and  Directors! 

As  this  article  will  be  read  by  thousands  who 
never  eaw  the  beautiful  country  through  which  it 
runs,  it  will  not  be  superfluous  to  add,  that  it 
passes  through  a  rich  and  most  beautiful  portion 
of  our  State.  "We  hazard  nothing  in  saying  that 
the  soil  for  twenty  miles  on  each  side  of  the  road, 
throughout  its  whole  length,  is,  on  an  average, 
better  than  that  of  the  gardens  in  any  of  the 
New  England  or  Middle  States.  Certainly,  with 
proper  Yankee  cultivation,  it  could  be  made  to 
produce  more  abundantly.  The  same  remark 
will  apply,  with  equal  truth,  to  all  the  remainder 
of  the  list,  round  to  the  great  Illinois  Central. 
Need  it  be  wondered  at  that  the  (jalena  road 
pays?  And  with  equal  certainty  may  it  be 
expected,  if  managed  with  prudence  and  econ- 


omy, that  nearly  all  our  other  roads  will  pay 
equally  well. 

The  Galena  road  was  opened  to  Freeport,  one 
hundred  and  twenty-one  miles  west  of  Chicago, 
on  the  fourth  of  September  last.  Here  the  road 
terminates,  and  reaches  Galena  by  the  Illinois 
Central.  Twenty-six  miles  of  the  latter  road  be- 
yond Freeport  was  opened  on  the  ninth  of  Jan- 
uary, and  it  is  to  be  completed  to  Galena,  about 
twenty-five  miles  farther,  by  the  first  of  Septem- 
ber next.  This  will  at  once  open  up  to  us  the 
trade  of  the  Upper  Mississippi.  The  value  of 
that  trade  to  our  city  we  should  not  dare  to  esti- 
mate, as  any  figures  drawn  from  its  amount  last 
year,  and  its  prospective  growth,  would  appear 
wild  and  chimerical. 

The  number  of  trains  that  it  is  expected  will 
be  on  the  road  on  the  first  of  May  next,  is  at 
least  two  passenger  trains  west  and  three  freight 
trains.  The  first  branch  road  to  the  Galena  west 
of  this  city,  is  the 

FOX  RIVER  VALLEY  RAILROAD. 

B.  W.  RAYMOND,  Esq.,  President. 

A.  J.  WALDRON,  Elgin,  Secretary. 

M.  C.  TOWN,  "     Treasurer. 

MILO  SMITH,  "      Chief  Engineer. 

This  road  commences  at  Elgin,  and  runs  up 
Fox  River  through  the  towns  of  Dundee,  Algon- 
quin, Crystal  Lake  and  Ringwood,  to  Richmond, 
on  the  Wisconsin  State  line.  The  length  of  the 
road  is  thirty-four  miles.  Three  fourths  of  the 
grading  is  already  completed,  and  the  Company 
will  commence  laying  iron  the  last  of  May.  As 
an  extension  of  this  road,  though  under  a  com- 
pany in  Winconsin,  we  notice  the 
,  iW  *:  A  .•  ' 

WISCONSIN  CENTRAL  R.  R. 

LE  GRAND  ROCKWELL,  Elkhorn,  President. 

EDWIN  HODGES,  "       Secretary. 

MILO  SMITH,  Elgin,  Chief  Engineer. 

This  road  is  intended  to  run  on  nearly  an  air 
line  through  the  very  heart  of  Wisconsin.  Com- 
mencing at  Richmond  in  Illinois  on  the  State  line, 
it  passes  through  Walworth,  Jefferson,  Dodge 
and  Columbia  coumties  to  Portage,  on  the  Wis- 
consin river,  and  it  is  intended  to  extend  it  to 
Stevens1  Point — the  very  heart  of  the  best  pine 
region  in  the  State.  The  length  of  the  road  to 
the  latter  point  is  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
miles.  The  country  along  the  line  of  the  road  is 
remarkably  fine,  abounding  in  untold  agricultural 
riches.  It  would  also  do  an  immense  lumber 
business.  Seventeen  miles  of  the  road  to  Elk- 
horn,  the  county  seat  of  Walworth  county,  is 


6 


located  and  in  process  of  construction.  Sufficient 
stock  is  taken  to  extend  it  to  Burlington,  where 
it  meets  the  Racine  and  Beloit  Eailroad.  It  is 
in  the  hands  of  experienced  men,  who  have  both 
the  means  and  the  energy  to  push  it  forward 
successfully. 

The  directors  are  ambitious  to  extend  it  to 
Lake  Superior.  There  is  also  a  charter  for  a 
road  from  Richmond,  the  northern  terminus  of 
the  Fox  River  Valley  Road,  for  one  direct  to 
Milwaukee.  The  road,  we  believe,  is  not  yet 
located,  and  therefore  we  pass  it  by  for  the 
present. 

Next  we  notice  the 

BELOIT  BRANCH  OF  THE  GALENA  R.  R. 

This  road  leaves  the  main  line  at  Belyidere, 
eighty  miles  west  of  Chicago,  and  runs  to  Beloit 
in  Wisconsin,  twenty-one  miles.  It  was  finished 
a  few  months  since,  and  is  an  important  feeder 
to  the  main  road.  All  the  winter  travel  between 
this  city  and  Milwaukee  passes  through  Beloit, 
and  reaches  Janesville  by  stage,  fourteen  miles. 
From  Janesville  passengers  take  the  Milwaukee 
and  Mississippi  road,  arriving  in  Milwaukee  the 
same  evening. 

As  an  extension  of  the  Beloit  Branch,  we  have 
the 

BELOIT  AND  MADISON  R.  R. 
J.  B.  TURNER,  Esq.,  President. 
B.  DURHAM,  Secretary. 
E.  I.  TINKHAM,  Treasurer. 

The  distance  from  Beloit  to  Madison  is  forty- 
seven  and  a  half  miles.  Of  this  distance  seven- 
teen miles  are  already  graded,  and  will  be  put  in 
operation  as  soon  as  the  iron  can  be  brought  on 
and  laid  down  after  navigation  opens.  It  is  to 
be  completed  in  all  by  the  first  of  July,  1855. 

We  did  not  speak  of  the  lines  projected  west 
and  northwest  of  Madison,  when  treating  of  the 
Illinois  and  Wisconsin  Railroad,  for  the  reason 
that  they  may  be  regarded  as  extensions  of  that 
road,  and  also  of  the  Beloit  and  Madisoni  There 
are  at  least  three  or  four  main  lines  beyond  Madi- 
son that  will  be  completed  in  a  very  few  years. 
They  are,  first,  the  western  division  of  the 

MILWAUKEE  AND  MISSISSIPPI  R.  R. 

This  division  extends  from  Madison  to  Prairie 
du  Chien,  on  the  Mississippi,  ninety  miles  above 
Galena.  The  distance  is  ninety-six  miles,  thirty- 
six  of  which,  from  Madison  to  Arena,  on  the 
Wisconsin  river,  are  already  under  contract,  and 
are  to  be  completed  at  an  early  day.  The  coun- 
try about  Prairie  du  Chien,  and  in  that  part  of 


Iowa  opposite  to  it  that  wonld  naturally  find  an 
outlet  over  the  road,  is  excellent,  and  is  filling  up 
very  rapidly  with  an  inteliigent,  industrious  and 
enterprising  population.  This  road  will  make  a 
large  addition  to  the  business  of  our  city,  and 
our  merchants  can  well  afford,  if  necessary,  to 
furnish  a  portion  of  the  capital  required  for  its 
construction. 

There  are,  we  believe,  two  or  three  charters 
for  roads  to  Minnesota ;  but,  in  order  to  be  de- 
finite, we  will  consider  them  as  but  one,  and  call 
it  the 

MADISON  AND  ST.  PAUL  RAILROAD. 

There  can  be  little  doubt  that  there  will  be  a 
railroad  completed  between  these  two  points, 
perhaps  in  five,  and  at  most,  in  eight  years. 
The  distance  is  about  three  hundred  mile* ;  and 
the  country  through  which  it  would  pass,  we 
learned  from  Dr.  Otis  Hoyt,  Receiver  of  the 
Land  Office  at  Willow  River,  is  excellent,  and 
very  favorable  for  the  location  of  a  i-ailroad.  Dr. 
Hoyt  has  traversed  the  entire  route,  and  was 
very  much  pleased  with  its  agricultural  and  other 
resources. 

The  western  portion  of  the 

MILWAUKEE  AND  LA  CROSSE  R.  R. 

May  also  be  regarded  as  a  part  of  the  system  of 
Railroads  centering  in  Chicago.  La  Crosse  is 
ninety  miles  above  Prairie  du  Chien,  on  the  Mis- 
sissippi. It  is  the  centre  of  a  very  fine  region  of 
country,  whose  resources  are  being  rapidly  de- 
veloped. An  enterprising  company  have  a  char- 
ter for  the  construction  of  this  road,  and  are 
pushing  it  forward  with  commendable  energy. 
The  length  of  the  road  beyond  Madison  would  be 
about  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles. 

There  is  another  road  soon  to  be  built  from 
Madison  or  Fond  du  Lac  to  Lake  Superior,  of 
great  importance  to  this  city.  Both  the  Illinois 
and  Wisconsin  and  the  Galena  company  are 
anxious  to  secure  the  prize.  We  will  call  the 
road  the 

MADISON  AND  LAKE  SUPERIOR  R.  R. 

We  believe  charters  already  exist  in  the  State 
of  Wisconsin  for  such  a  road.  1  he  mines  of  Lake 
Superior  are  being  extensively  worked,  and  are 
yielding  a  large  return  to  their  proprietors.  So 
important  and  extensive  has  become  the  business 
of  that  rich  mineral  region,  that  a  road  must  soon 
be  built  to  accommodate  it.  There  are  also  im- 
mense groves  of  pine  along  the  route,  which 
alone  would  furnish  nearly  business  enough  to 
warrant  the  building  of  the  road.  Chicago  has 


a  deep  interest  in  its  construction.  The  length 
of  the  road  would  be  about  two  hundred  and 
seventy-five  miles. 

The  next  trunk  road  south  of  the  main  line  of 
the  Galena  and  Chicago,  is  the 

GALENA  AIR  LINE  RAILROAD. 

[Same  officers  aa  the  Galena  and  Chicago 


The  Galena  and  Chicago  road,  as  now  in  oper- 
ation, doee  not  run  by  the  shortest  route  to  the 
Mississippi.  When  the  road  was  built  it  was  ab- 
solutely necessary  to  procure  all  the  aid  possible 
to  construct  it.  Hence  the  nourishing  towns  and 
cities  along  the  route — Elgin,  Belvidere,  Rock- 
ford  and  Freeport — subscribed  liberally  to  the 
eteck,  in  order  that  the  road  might  be  brought 
to  their  own  doors.  At  the  time  it  was  argued, 
correctly,  that  they  could  afford  to  take  stock  if 
they  never  received  a  dollar  in  dividends,  and 
yet  be  amply  paid  in  the  increased  value  of  real 
estate,  and  the  impetus  it  would  give  to  busi- 
ness. When  only  forty  miles  of  the  road  was 
completed,  the  stock  was  some  ten  per  cent, 
above  par.  It  was  well  the  main  line  of  the  road 
was  built  where  it  is,  as  the  towns  and  cities  along 
its  route  will  furnish  it  with  a  large  and  lucrative 
business.  The  through  trade  to  Galena  must  also 
be  very  extensive. 

But  this  is  the  day  of  "  air  lines"  and  "short- 
cuts," and  the  Galena  Company  have  thought 
best  to  build  another  road  to  the  "Father  of  Wa- 
ters." The  ears  run  on  the  same  track  to  the 
Junction,  thirty  miles  from  the  eity.  The  road 
is  now  completed,  and  the  cars  are  running  upon 
it  to  the  village  of  Lane,  in  Ogle  county,  seventy- 
five  miles  west  of  the  eity.  It  crosses  the  Fox 
River  at  Geneva,  the  county  seat  of  Kane  oo., 
and  runs  a  few  miles  south  of  Sycamore,  De  Kalb 
co.,  by  Franklin  Grove,  to  Dixon,  Lee  county ; 
thence  through  Stirling,  Whitesides  co.,  to  Ful- 
ton City,  on  the  Mississippi.  The  whole  of  the 
road  is  under  contract,  and  is  to  be  completed  to 
the  Mississippi  by  the  first  of  August  next.  At 
Dixon  it  crosses  the  main  line  of  the  Illinois 
Central,  and  will  furnish  the  people  living  on  the 
line  of  that  road,  for  many  miles  north  and  south 
of  that  point,  direct  railroad  communication  with 
our  city. 

The  extension  of  the  Galena  Air  Line  west- 
ward is  called  the 

LYONS  IOWA  CENTRAL  RAILROAD. 

SILAS  SETMOOR,  Esq.,  St.  Louis,  President. 
JAS.  McCoT,  Fulton  City,  Secretary. 


H.  P.  ADAMS,          "        Treasurer. 
ALLEN  SLACK,          "        Chief  Engineer. 

The  report  of  the  consulting  Engineer  of  this 
road,  Wm.  C.  Young,  Esq.,  is  before  us.  He 
says:  "The  site  of  the  proposed  bridge"  at  Ful- 
»on  City,  to  connect  this  road  with  the  Galena 
Air  Line,  "is  peculiarly  favorable.  The  rocky 
bluffs  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  exceeding  one 
hundred  feet  in  height,  bold  and  precipitous  on 
the  east  side,  and  more  sloping  on  the  west,  ap- 
proach each  other  more  cloself  at  this  point  than 
at  any  ather  locality  available  for  a  railroad  cross- 
ing. The  superstructure  of  an  arch  and  pier 
bridge  may  be  built  ninety  feet  above  the  river, 
so  as  to  place  it  entirely  above  any  danger  of 
interfering  with  steamboat  navigation."  He  also 
suggests  the  propriety  of  building  a  suspension 
bridge,  if  experience  shall  prove  them  suitable 
for  railroad  purposes.  The  length  of  the  bridge 
would  be  about  two  thousand  feet. 

Council  Bluffs,  on  the  Mississippi,  is  the  point 
to  which  several  of  the  extensions  of  the  roads 
from  this  city  are  aiming,  and  that  is  to  be  the 
western  terminus  of  this  road.  It  is  under  con- 
tract, and  the  money  is  provided  to  build  it  to 
Iowa  City,  seventy-three  miles.  The  distance 
from  Lyons  to  Council  Bluffs  is  three  hundred 
and  eight  miles.  It  is  to  be  completed  to  Tipton, 
fifty  miles  west  of  the  Mississippi,  by  the  first  of 
October  next.  This  part  of  the  road  is  to  be 
nearly  an  air  line.  Five  hundred  men  are  now 
at  work  upon  the  road.  The  country  through 
which  it  passes  is  as  fine  as  any  portion  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley,  and  it  may  therefore  be  ex- 
pected to  add  very  much  to  the  business  and 
general  prosperity  of  the  city.  It  is  to  be  com- 
pleted to  Iowa  City  by  the  first  of  April,  1865. 

The  road  entering  the  city  next  south  of  the 
Galena,  is  the 

CHICAGO,  ST.  CHARLES  AND  MIS- 
SISSIPPI  AIR  LINE. 

IRA  MINARD,  Esq.,  St.  Charles,  President. 

G.  S.  HUCBARD,  Vice  President. 

S.  S.  JONES,  St.  Charles,  Seeretary. 

G.  W.  WAITK,     "  Chief  Engineer. 

ALT  AH  HUNT,  New  York,  Treasurer. 

G.  S.  HUBBARD,  Assistant  Treasurer. 

The  depot  of  this  road  is  to  be  directly  north 
of  North  street,  on  the  West  side,  opposite  the 
old  depot  of  the  Michigan  Southern,  a1,  Twelfth 
street.  From  the  western  limits  of  the  city  it 
runs  on  an  air  line  to  St.  Charles  on  Fox  river, 
about  forty  miles.  The  road  is  finished  ten  miles 
to  the  Aux  Plaines  river,  and  will  be  completed 


to  St.  Charles  as  soon  as  possible  after  the  frost 
is  out  of  the  ground  in  the  Spring.  The  mason 
work  for  the  bridge  at  St.  Charles  is  finished,  and 
the  whole  line  is  to  be  completed  to  Oregon,  on 
Hock  river,  about  ninety-five  miles,  by  the  first 
of  October  next.  About  twenty  miles  west  of 
Chicago  it  crosses  the  Galena  Air  line,  and  runs 
between  that  and  the  main  trunk- of  the  Galena, 
all  the  way  to  the  Mississippi.  The  whole  line 
is  to  be  completed  to  Savanna,  a  distance  of  1 30 
miles,  on  the  Mississippi,  with  a  branch  to  Galena,, 
thirty  miles,  by  the  first  of  January,  1856.  The 
road  is  in  the  hands  of  a  wealthy  and  enterprising 
company,  and  no  doubt  exists  as  to 'its  prompt 
completion  by  the  time  specified  in  the-  contract. 
The  country  through  which  it  passes  is-  unsur- 
passed in  richness  and  beauty,,  and  the  projectors 
of  the  road  are  also  determined  to  share  with  the 
Galena  and  the  Illinois  Central  the  rich  trade  of 
Iowa  and  the  Upper  Mississippi. 

An  important  extension  of  the  roads  centering 
at  Galena  is  one  projected  to  run  up  the  valley  of 
the  Tete  des  Mortes  river  to  the  aouth  bend  of 
the  Minnesota.  W-e  shall  call  it  the 

GALENA  AND  MINNESOTA  RAILCOAD, 

There  is  much  interest  felt  in  the  construction 
of  this  road  at  Galena,  and  ere  many  years  it  will 
no  doubt  be  among  the  things  that  Wester* 
energy  has  accomplished.  The  country  along 
the  line  is  said  to  be  remarkably  fine,  and  a 
glance  at  the  map  will  show  that  it  is  the  short- 
est route  by  which  we  could  secure  the  trade  of 
the  Minnesota  Valley.  It  will  probably  be  one 
of  the  lines  by  which  we  shall  connect  with  the 
Pacific  Railroad',  should  it  be  built  on  Gbv. 
Stevens'  route,  from  Lak»  Superior  to  Puget's 
Sound.  The  length  of  the  road  would  be  about 
260  miles. 

As  an  extension  of  the  Chicago,  St.  Charles 
and  Mississippi  Air  Line,  the  next  in  our  list  is 
the 

IOWA  CENTRAL  AIR  LINE. 

Hon.  GECX.  GREE.V,.  Cedar  Rapids  (Iowa),.  Pre- 
sident. 

S.  S.  JONESJ  St.  Charles  (111.),.  Vice  President. 

E.  A.  WOOD,  Sabula  (Iowa),  Treasurer. 

G.  W.  WAITE,.  St.  Charles,  Chief  Engineer. 

This  road  is  to  run  from  Sabula,  nearly  oppo- 
site Savanna,  following  very  nearly  the  42d  par- 
allel of  latitude  to  a  point  on  the  Missouri  river, 
from  123  to  150  miles  above  Council  Bluffs.  The 
friends  of  the  road  claim  that  from  this  point 
there  is  a  shorter  and  better  route  for  a  railroad 


to  the  South  Pass,  up  tfie  valley  of  tfie  EehaiV 
Paha  river,  than  that  which  has  usually  been 
traveled,  up  the  valley  of  the  Pktte.  And  be- 
sides,, the  road  would  have  the  best  opportunity 
to  secure  the  rich  trade  of  the  Upper  Missouri,. 
as  it  would  reach  that  magnificent  stream  higher 
up  than  any  other  road.  A  glance  at  Colton's 
latest  map  of  the  U.  S.  will  show  that  the  Kebab 
Paha  river  lies  due  west  from  Chicago,  and  that 
its  valley  stretches  away  in  almost  a  direct  west 
line  to  the  South  Pass. 

We  need  not  enlarge  upon  the  character  of  the 
country  through  which  the  road  is  expected  to- 
pass.  Iowa  is  one  of  the  finest  States  in  the  Mis- 
sissippi Valley,  and  roads  built  across  the  State 
from  east  to  west  cannot  fail  to  yield  at  once  fail- 
dividends,  and  in  a  very  few  years,  as  the  coun- 
try fills  up  with  population,,  will  be  among  the 
best-paying  roads  in  the  Union.  Eighty-five  miles 
of  the  road,  directly  west  of  the  Mississidpi,  has 
been  let  to  Messrs..  Serrill,  BagLey  &  Co.,,.  of  New 
York,  and  is  to  be  done  by  the  first  of  January,. 
1856,.  at  the  same  time  that  the  St.  Charles  Air 
Line  reaches  the  Mississippi..  The  contractors- 
are  said  to  be  gentlemen  of  great  energy,  and. 
abundant  means  to  fulfil  all  their  obligations.  The 
distance  to  the  Missouri  is  about  325  miles. 

The  next  trunk  road  south  of  the  St.  Charlee- 
Air  Lino,  is  the 

CHICAGO  AND  ATTROKA  R.  E. 

JAS>  F.  JOT,  Esq.,  Detroit,  President. 

ALLAN  ROBBINS,  Secretary.. 

I..  H.  BURCH,  Treasurer. 

WALTER  S.  JOHNSON,.  Superintendent.. 

This  road  at  present  enters  the  city  on  the 
track  of  the  Galena  Railroad.  As  a  line  is  sooa 
to  be  built  from  Aurora  to  Chicago,  it  may  very 
properly  be  regarded  as  a  distinct  road.  The 
cars  of  the  Aurora  road  leave  the  Galena  at 
Junction,  thirty  miles  west  of  the  city,  and  follow 
down  the  beautiful  valley  of  Fox  river,  through 
the  flourishing  viHage  of  Batavia  to  Aurora,  thir- 
teen mite? ;  thence  to  JMcndota,  at  the  Junction 
of  the  Illinois  Central,  sixteen  miles  northwest  of 
Lasalte.  The  distance  is  forty-six  miles.  The 
road  was  afl  completed  early  last  fall,  and  with 
the  sixteen  miles  of  the  Illinois  Central,  also, 
completed,  form?  a  direct  railroad  communication 
with  Lasalle.  The  road  is  built  in  the  most  sub- 
stantial manner,  and  opens  one  of  the  richest 
portions  of  this  State  to  the  trade  of  Chicago. 
On  the  first  of  May  next  there  will  be  two  pas- 
senger trains  out  of  the  city  on  this  road,  and 
one  accommodation  and  freight  and  one  freight. 


9 


train.      It  is  already   doing  a   large  business. 
When  its  connections  and  extensions  south  and 
west  are  completed,  its  trade  will  astonish  its 
most  sanguine  friends. 
The  first  of  these  is  the 

CENTRAL   MILITARY  TRACT  RAILROAD. 

J.  W.  BROOKS,  Esq.,  Detroit,  President. 
D.  SANBORN,  Galesburgh,  Secretary. 
JAMES  PEARSOX,  Princeton,  Treasurer. 
COL.  J.  M.  BERRIEN,  Chief  Engineer. 

This  road  extends  from  Mendota,  the  south- 
western terminus  of  the  Aurora  Railroad,  to 
Galesburgh,  Knox  county.  Its  length  is  eighty- 
four  miles.  The  road  is  all  graded,  and  the  iron 
will  be  put  down  as  soon  as  it  can  be,  after  the 
frost  is  out  of  the  ground.  The  iron  is  all  pur- 
chased, and  the  road  is  to  be  finished  and  in 
complete  running  order  on  or  before  the  first  of 
Jnly  next.  This  road  runs  through  the  centre  cf 
what  is  generally  known  as  the  Military  Tract, 
lying  between  the  Illinois  and  the  Mississippi 
rivers,  and  if  there  is  any  finer  country  on  the 
face  of  the  earth,  it  has  not  been  our  good  for- 
tune to  see  it. 

From  Galesburgh  passengers  will  reach  the 
Mississippi  at  Burlington,  a  distance  of  forty 
miles,  by  the 

PEORIA  AND  OQFAWKA  RAILROAD. 

R.  ROUSE,  Peoria,  President. 

WASHINGTON  COCKLE,  Peoria,  Secretary. 

J.  H.  HOTCHKISS,  Peona,  Treasurer. 

This  part  of  the  road  is  all  graded,  and  several 
miles  of  the  iron  are  already  laid.  All  the  iron 
is  purchased,  and  most  of  it,  we  believe,  is  at 
Burlington,  ready  to  be  laid  down  as  soon  as  the 
weather  wiil  permit  The  road  is  to  be  com- 
pleted by  the  first  of  June  next.  This  will  open 
to  us  the  rich  trade  of  Southern  Iowa,  causing 
such  an  increase  to  our  business  as  few  would 
have  the  courage  to  state,  even  were  the  exact 
figures  in  their  possession. 

But  this  is  by  no  means  the  limit  to  the  aspira- 
tions of  the  friends  of  tin's  road.  They,  too,  not 
having  the  fear  of  our  St.  Louis  neighbors  before 
their  eyes,  are  reaching  forward  to  the  trade  of 
the  Missouri.  Surveys  are  now  being  made 
through  Southern  Iowa  for  a  road  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Platte  river.  It  is  called  the 

BURLINGTON  AND  MISSOURI  RAILROAD. 

The  distance  across  the  State  is  about  220 
miles.  When  it  is  remembered  that  roads  built 
anywhere  in  the  West  forty  miles  from  each 


other,  will  find  ample  business  to  make  them 
pay,  it  must  not  be  wondered  at  if  this  road  is 
completed  in  three,  or  at  most  four  years. 

To  complete  our  list  of  connections  with  the 
Aurora  Road,  we  must  go  back  to  Galesburgh, 
and  notice  the 

NORTHERN  CROSS  RAILROAD1. 

N.  BUSHJWXL,  Esq.,  Quincy,  President. 
JOHN  FIELD,  Quincy,  Secretary-, 
CHAS.  A.  SAVAGE,  Treasurer. 
WM.  H.  SIDKLL,  Chief  Engineer. 

This  road  is  to  run  from  Galesburgh  to  Quincyr 
120  miles.  It  is  all  under  contract,  the  iron  is 
purchased,  and  the  money  is  all  provided  to  com- 
plete it.  It  is  to  be  finished  and  in  running  or- 
der by  the  first  of  January,  1855. 

At  Quincy  it  will  need  but  a  few  miles  of  road 
to  connect  with  the 

HANNIBAL  AND  ST.  JOSEPHS'  R.  R. 

R.  M.  STEWART,  Esq.,  St.  Josephs,  Mo-.,  Presi- 
dent. 

Z  G.  DRAPBR,  Hannibal,  Mo.,  Vice  President. 

J.  E.  DOWLIKG,  "  Treasurer. 

R.  BFCKLAND,  "  Chief  Engineer. 

Since  the  first  edition  of  this  article  was  pub- 
lished, we  have  had  a  full  conversation  with  W. 
J.  McAlpine,  Esq.,  who  had  just  returned  from 
a  tour  over  the  entire  line  of  this  road.  From 
him  we  obtained  the  following  facts  in  reference 
to  its  prospects,  and  to  the  country  through  which 
it  passes. 

The  company  is  composed  of  some  of  the 
largest  capitalists  and  most  energetic  railroad 
men  in  the  country.  The  State  of  Missouri  has 
loaned  its  credit  to  the  amount  of  one  million  and 
a  half  of  dollars ;  the  counties  along  the  line  have 
taken  about  half  a  million  of  the  stock,  and  the 
Eastern  capitalists  to  whom  we  referred  have 
taken  one  and  a  half  millions  more.  Congress 
has  also  granted  eight  hundred  thousand  acres 
of  land  to  the  Company  to  aid  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  road. 

The  distance  from  Hannibal,  on  the  Mississippi, 
to  Saint  Joseph,  on  the  Missouri,  is  205  miles. 
Mr.  McAlpine  describes  the  country  through 
which  it  passes  as  surpassingly  rich  and  beau- 
tiful. Though  there  is  nothing  like  a  mountain 
in  the  whole  distance,  there  is  scarcely  level 
ground  enough  for  the  stations  along  the  road. 
So  "  rolling"  is  the  country,  that  for  one  fourth 
of  the  distance  the  grade  of  the  road  is  fifty  feet 
per  mile.  This  is,,  we  bolieve,  the  maximum 
grade. 


10 


The  whole  country  between  the  two  rivers  is 
not  only  all  susceptible  of  cultivation,  but  a  large 
portion  of  it  is  too  rich  to  grow  wheat  success- 
fully. Corn,  hemp  and  tobacco  are  the  principal 
staples.  Mr.  McAlpine  says  it  is  one  of  the  best 
timbered  portions  of  the  Mississippi  Valley.  At 
no  place  is  the  road  more  than  four  miles  from 
fine  groves,  which,  with  the  fertile  lands  and 
delightful  climate,  make  it  peculiarly  inviting  to 
.settlers.  The  soil  is  a  rich  loam,  resting  on  a 
substratum  of  clay.  The  prevailing  rock  is  lime- 
stone. 

The  road  is  all  under  contract,  and  is  to  be 
finished  by  two  years  from  the  first  of  May. 
Messrs.  Duff  &  Larned  are  the  contractors.  They 
.are  gentlemen  of  large  experience,  and  are  in  all 
respects  able  to  fill  their  contracts  by  the  time 
specified.  Twenty-five  miles  at  each  end  of  the 
road  is  to  be  completed  and  in  operation  during 
the  present  season;  and  the  entire  line  is  to  be 
completed  by  the  first  of  July,  1865. 

Chicago  has  a  large  interest  in  the  construc- 
tion of  this  road.  We  shall  have  two  lines  con- 
necting with  it  either  at  Hannibal  or  Quincy,  and 
perhaps  at  both  of  these  points.  The  Aurora 
and  Central  Military  Tract,  and  the  Peoria  and 
Hannibal  Railroads  will  both  be  finished  by  the 
tune  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph's  road  is  in 
operation.  We  shall  receive  a  large  trade  from 
Northern  Missouri  as  soon  as  we  have  a  direct 
railroad  connection  with  that  fertile  region.  Al- 
though this  road  lies  at  a  considerable  distance 
south  of  this  city,  the  result  will  show  that  it  may 
justly  be  regarded  as  a  part  of  that  great  system 
which  has  its  centre  here. 

Again  we  return  to  Chicago,  and  commence 
with  one  of  her  most  important  main  lines — the 

CHICAGO  AND  ROCK  ISLAND  E.  R. 

J.  B.  JERVIS,  Esq.,  New  York,  President. 
N.  D.  ELWOOD,  Joliet,  Secretary. 
Hon.  A.  C.  FLAGG,  New  York,  Treasurer. 
JNO.  E.  HENRY.  Superintendent. 
WILLIAM  JERVIS,  Chief  Engineer. 

No  better  example  can  be  given  of  the  rapidity 
and  energy  with  which  great  enterprises  are 
pushed  forward  to  completion  at  the  West,  than 
the  Chicago  and  Rock  Island  Railroad.  Its  pro 
gress  seems  more  like  the  wonders  of  magic  than 
a  plain  matter  of  fact  reality.  It  was  commencet 
on  the  10th  of  April,  1852,  and  opened  to  Joliet 
forty  miles,  on  the  18th  of  October,  in  the  sam 
year;  to  Morris,  sixty-one  miles,  Jan.  5th,  1853 
to  Ottawa,  eighty-three  miles,  Feb.  14th ;  to  La 
Salle,  ninety-eight  miles,  March  10th;  to  Peru 


u'nety-nine  miles,  March  21st ;  to  Tiskilwa,  one 
.undred  and  twenty-two  miles,  Sept.  12th;  to 
Sheffield,  one  hundred  and  thirty-six  miles,  Oct. 
,2th;  to  Geneseo,  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight 
miles,  Dec.  19th — ah1  during  the  last  year.  It 
was  completed  and  opened  to  Rock  Island,  one 
lundred  and  eighty-one  miles,  on  the  22d  of 
February,  1854;  being  the  first  continuous  line 
of  railroad  to  reach  the  Mississippi  from  Lake 
Michigan. 

The  city  of  Alton  was  reached  about  the  first 
of  October  last ;  but  three  different  roads  had  to 
DC  passed  over  in  order  that  the  iron  horse  might 
renew  his  strength  from  the  great  artery  of  the 
Western  Continent.  Think  of  this,  ye  ancient 
worthies,  who,  some  fifteen  years  ago,  would 
bave  required  as  many  years  to  build  the  same 
number  of  miles  of  railroad !  One  hundred  miles 
of  the  line  was  built,  stocked,  and  in  running 
order  in  less  than  a  year ;  and  the  whole  distance 
to  the  Mississippi,  one  hundred  and  eighty-one 
miles,  was  finished,  and  the  road  was  in  opera- 
tion, in  twenty-two  and  a  half  months!  This 
simple  statement  speaks  volumes  for  the  intelli- 
gence, energy  and  business  capacity  of  the  con- 
tractors, Messrs.  SHEFFIELD  &  FARNAM.  It  is  one 
of  the  proudest  monuments  they  could  possibly 
have  to  their  memory ;  and  it  will  confer  bless- 
ings innumerable  upon  the  people  of  this  city  and 
those  whose  fertile  fields  lie  along  the  line  of  the 
road  for  all  time  to  come.  We  almost  envy 
them  the  satisfaction  which  the  accomplishment 
of  so  great  a  work  in  so  short  a  period  must 
afford  them. 

The  location  of  the  road  is  peculiarly  favorable 
for  business.  For  the  first  hundred  miles,  it  fol- 
lows down  the  valley  of  the  Illinois  and  its  tribu- 
taries, through  the  flourishing  towns  and  cities  of 
Joliet,  Morris  and  Ottawa,  drawing  the  trade  of 
a  rich  and  very  fertile  region.  At  Lasalle  it  is  at 
the  head  of  ordinary  steamboat  navigation  on  the 
Illinois,  and  of  course  will  always  secure  a  large 
and  lucrative  trade  from  that  artery  of  commerce. 
From  Peru  to  Rock  Island  it  crosses  the  Military 
Tract,  of  whose  agricultural  capacities  we  gave 
our  views  when  speaking  of  the  Aurora  Railroad. 
A  section  richer  in  all  the  elements  of  wealth  and 
prosperity  cannot  be  found  anywhere  upon  the 
Western  Continent.  Added  to  this,  it  crosses  an 
immense  coal  field,  and  will  furnish  to  our  city 
without  stint  an  abundant  supply  of  the  best  of 
fuel.  We  might  here  speak  of  the  importance 
of  this  fact  in  reference  to  the  iron  and  other 
manufactories  that  will  be  established  here  as 
soon  as  the  Saut  Ste  Marie  Canal  is  opened,  and 
we  have  a  direct  steamboat  connection  with  the 


11 


iron  and  copper  mines  of  Lake  Superior;  but 
it  does  not  fall  within  the  proper  design  of  this 
article. 

The  receipts  of  the  road  are  already  very 
satisfactory.  In  October  last  they  amounted  to 
$67, 097.77  ;  and  they  would  have  averaged  more 
than  $60,000  through  the  Whiter  had  the  con- 
tractors been  able  to  procure  locomotives  and 
cars  fast  enough  to  do  the  business.  For  the 
month  of  April,  1854,  the  receipts  were: 


From  passengers, 
From  freight  and  mails, 

Total,     . 
Total  in  March, 


$57,9tl  98 
29,000  00 


$86,941  98 
74,684  70 


Increase,        ,        .        .  $12,257  28 

Number  of  passengers  carried  in  April,  22,449. 

The  contractors  now  have  all  the  revenues  of 
the  road ;  but  they  are  to  deh'ver  it  over  to  the 
Company  on  the  10th  of  July  next — one  year 
and  a  half  before  the  time  specified  in  the  con- 
tract. On  the  first  of  May  there  were  three  pas- 
senger and  two  freight  trams  leaving  the  city 
every  day. 

The  western  extension  of  this  road  in  Iowa  is 
called  the 

MISSISSIPPI  AND  MISSOURI  R.  R. 

Hon.  JOHN  A.  Dix,  New  York,  President. 
J.  E.  HENRY.  Secretary. 
Hon.  A.  C.  F'-iGG,  New  York,  Treasurer. 
HENRY  FARNAM,  Esq.,  Chief  Engineer. 

It  is  proper  here  to  speak  of  the  bridge  which 
is  to  connect  this  road  with  the  Rock  Island  Rail- 
road. It  is  to  be  one  of  the  finest  structures  in 
the  country.  We  believe  it  is  owned  equally  by 
these  Companies.  Rock  Island  for  a  time  was 
thought  to  be  the  only  place  where  the  Missis- 
sippi could  be  bridged;  but  it  is  now  claimed 
that  it  can  be  done  at  Fulton  City,  Savanna,  or 
any  other  place  where  the  wants  of 'commerce 
require  it.  Such  of  course  would  be  the  opinion 
of  any  one  who  had  witnessed  the  wonderful 
triumphs  of  modern  engineering.  It  cannot  be 
doubted,  however,  that  a  variety  of  circumstances 
conspire  to  render  Rock  Island  one  of  the  most 
favorable  locations  for  a  bridge  between  St.  Paul 
and  St.  Louis. 

The  bridge  is  under  contract,  and  is  to  be  com- 
pleted by  the  first  of  December  next.  The  east- 
ern end  of  it  over  the  slough,  between  the  main 
shore  and  the  Island,  has  three  spans  of  150  feet 
each  in  the  clear  The  total  length  of  this  part 


of  it  is  4Y4  feet  The  foundation  of  one  of  the 
piers  is  already  in,  and  this  part  of  the  work  will 
be  finished  by  the  first  of  June.  The  main  stream 
west  of  the  Island  is  crossed  by  five  spans,  each 
250  feet  in  the  clear,  and  the  total  length  of  this 
part  of  the  bridge  is  1,582  feet — making,  in  ah1, 
2,056  feet.  The  draw  is  to  turn  upon  the  cen- 
tral pier,  and  is  always  to  stand  open,  free  for  the 
passage  of  boats  on  each  side  of  the  pier,  except 
when  a  tram  is  passing.  All  trains  on  each  side 
of  the  river  are  to  come  to  a  full  stop,  and  to 
remain  till  a  signal  is  given  that  the  bridge  ia 
ready.  Of  course  the  draw,  or  if  you  please, 
"turn  table,"  will  not  be  closed  if  there  is  a 
steamer  near  at  hand  likely  to  pass  up  or  down 
the  river.  It  is  to  be  twenty-one  feet  above  high- 
water  mark,  and  will  be  a  substantial  and  elegant 
structure.  The  bridge  is  to  be  built  with  Howe's 
truss,  with  the  addition  of  arch  beams.  J.  War- 
ner &  Co.  have  the  contract  for  the  stone  work, 
and  Messrs.  Stone  &  Boomer  that  for  the  super- 
structure. The  total  cost  of  both  divisons  of  the 
bridge  will  be  $250,000. 

The  Mississippi  and  Missouri  Railroad  haa 
three  divisions ;  amounting,  in  fact,  to  three  dis- 
tinct yoads.  The  first  division  extends  from 
Davenport,  opposite  Rock  Island,  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  and  enterprising  towns  on  the 
Mississippi,  by  the  way  of  Iowa  City  and  Fort 
Des  Moines,  to  Council  Bluffs.  The  distance  is 
three  hundred  miles.  The  road  is  under  con- 
tract fifty -seven  miles  to  Iowa  City,  and  is  to  be 
completed  to  that  point  by  the  first  of  December 
next.  At  that  time  the  bridge  over  the  Missis- 
sippi is  to  be  finished,  and  we  shall  be  in  un- 
broken railroad  connection  with  the  capital 
of  Iowa.  The  entire  line  is  to  be  finished  to 
Council  Bluffs  by  the  first  of  January,  1857.  It 
needs  but  to  be  added  that  Messrs.  Sheffield  & 
Farnam  have  the  contract,  to  assure  the  public 
that  the  work  will  be  done  at  the  time  specified. 
The  country  through  which  it  passes  is  remark- 
ably fine,  and  we  look  forward  to  the  time  when 
we  shall  have  a  direct  railroad  communication 
with  the  Missouri  river  as  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant events  in  the  history  of  Chicago. 

The  second  division  of  the  road  extends  from 
Davenport,  by  the  way  of  Muscatine,  Washington 
and  Oskaloosa,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Platte  river. 
The  length  of  the  road  will  be  three  hundred 
miles.  Thirty  miles  of  the  road  to  Muscatine  is 
to  be  finished  by  the  first  of  December  next,  giv- 
ing us  the  trade  of  another  large  and  flourishing 
city  in  Iowa,  and  the  region  to  which  it  owes  its 
growth  and  importance.  Ninety  miles  more  of 
the  road  to  Oskaloosa  will  be  put  under  contract 


12 


in  the  Spring,  and  will  be  probably  completed 
within  the  next  year  or  eighteen  months. 

The  third  division  of  the  road  is  to  rnn  in  a 
northwestern  direction  from  Muscatine  to  Cedar 
Rapids — a  distance  of  fifty  miles.  It  is  the  in- 
tention of  the  Company  to  put  it  under  contract 
early  in  the  Spring,  and  the  entire  line  is  to  be 
finished  by  the  first  of  April,  1855.  This  road 
may  be  ultimately  extended  to  Minnesota  as 
fast  as  the  settling  of  the  countiy  along  the 
route  will  require.  That  will  be  at  no  distant 
day. 

We  now  have  done  with  railroad  extensions  in 
Iowa.  It  will  be  noticed  that  we  have  traced 
five  different  lines  across  the  State  to  the  Mis- 
souri river.  The  facts  have  been  stated  just  as 
we  received  them  from  the  agents  of  the  different 
Companies  and  railroad  men  in  this  city.  This 
•was  the  task  we  imposed  upon  ourselves,  and  we 
do  not  propose  to  go  beyond  the  record,  and 
give  an  opinion  as  to  the  merits  of  this  or  that 
route.  The  western  portions  of  Iowa  are  sparsely 
populated,  and  the  through  travel  is  at  present 
almost  the  only  prize  at  stake,  for  the  last  hun- 
dred miles  on  either  of  the  lines.  That  is  a  prize 
worth  having ;  and  after  canvassing  the  facts  we 
have  stated,  the  public  and  ourselves  also  would 
be  safe  in  waiting  to  see  which  great  interest  will 
secure  it. 

We  now  return  to  Illinois,  to  trace  the  connec- 
tions and  extensions  of  the  Rock  Island  Railroad 
in  our  own  State.  We  begin  with  the 

PEORIA  AND  BUREAU  VALLEY  R.  R. 

ISAAC  UNDERBILL,  Esq.,  Peoria,  President. 
WASHINGTON  COCKLK,  "      Secretary. 

N.  B.  CCRTIS,  "      Treasurer. 

WM.  JERVIS,  Chief  Engineer. 

This  road  branches  from  the  Rock  Island,  four- 
teen miles  west  ef  Peru.  The  distance  thence  to 
Peoria  is  forty-seven  miles.  Sheffield  &  Farnam 
have  the  contract  for  building  the  road,  and  it  is 
to  be  finished  and  in  operation  by  the  first  of 
June  next.  In  only  four  months  we  shall  join 
hands  with  our  beautiful  sister,  Peoria;  and, 
though  oppressed  with  the  cares  and  covered 
with  the  dust  of  business,  Chicago  will  find  time 
to  take  her  by  the  hand  and  give  her  a  right  ; 
hearty  welcome. 

Arrangements  have  been  made  to  run,  in  con- 
nection with  this  road,  two  daily  lines  of  steam-  j 
ers  between  Peoria  and  St.  Louis,  and  as  most  of  I 
the  obstructions  to  ravigation  on  the  Illinois  lie  I 


above  Peoria,  this  will  be  a  comfortable  and 
popular  route  to  that  city. 

Beyond  Peoria  there  are  three  roads  proposed 
to  be  built — one  through  Canton  to  Warsaw, 
nearly  opposite  Keokuk,  on  the  Mississippi. 
Westward  from  Keokuk,  an  important  city  in 
the  southeastern  corner  of  Iowa,  several  roads 
are  projected,  all  of  which  would  swell  the  busi- 
ness of  this  line.  The  distance  is  some  eighty  or 
ninety  miles. 

The  second  road,  which  has  been  fujly  organ- 
ized since  the  first  edition  of  this  article,  is  the 

PEORIA  AND  HANNIBAL  RAILROAD. 

MYRON  PIIELPS,  Lewiston,  Presf.dent. 
L.  D.  ERWIN,  Rushville,  Vice  President. 
THOS.  HANNA,  Vermont,  Secretary. 
GEORGE  PHELPS,  Lewiston,  Treasurer. 

There  is  much  interest  felt  along  the  line  of 
this  road,  and  the  right  feeling  exists  among  the 
people  in  that  part  of  th«  State  with  reference  to 
it  Schuyler  county  has  recently  voted,  by  a 
large  majority,  to  take  $75,000  of  the  stock,  and 
the  citizens  have  subscribed  $25,000  more. 
Other  counties  will  assist,  to  the  extent  of  their 
means.  It  passes  through  a  magnificent  country, 
and  will  be  an  important  road  to  this  city  and  the 
country  through  which  it  passes.  It  will  of  course 
furnish  a  second  outlet  to  the  Hannibal  and  St. 
Joseph's  Railroad,  described  above,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Aarora  Road.  It  will  doubtless  be 
finished  by  the  time  the  Hannibal  Road  is  com- 
pleted. Its  length  will  be  about  one  hundred 
and  twenty  miles. 

The  third  proposed  route  runs  south  from 
Peoria,  and  crosses  the  Illinois  river  at  Pekin, 
thence  in  nearly  a  direct  line  to  Illinoistown,  op- 
posite St.  Louis. 

We  must  not  forget  to  mention,  as  a  feeder  of 
the  Peoria  and  Rock  Island  Railroads,  a  part  of 
the 

PEORIA  AND  OQUAWKA  RAILROAD. 

The  western  division  of  this  road,  from  Gales- 
burgh  to  Burlington,  has  already  been  noticed  in 
speaking  of  the  connections  of  the  Aurora  Rail- 
road. The  distance  from  Peoria  to  Galesburgh 
is  about  fifty  miles.  Seven  miles  of  the  road  west 
of  Peoria  are  nearly  completed,  and  the  remainder 
will  be  finished  as  fast  as  the  business  along  the 
route  will  warrant. 

The  next  main  line  that  our  order  requires  us 
to  notice,  fe  the 


13 


CHICAGO  AND  MISSISSIPPI  RAILROAD- 

GEO.  BLISS,  Springfieid  (Mass:),  President. 

E.  KEATING,  Alton,  Superintendent. 

H.  A.  GARDNER,  Joliet,  Chief  Engineer. 

This  should  have  been  called  the  Alton  and 
Chicago  Railroad,  and  then  its  name  would  have 
conveyed  a  definite  idea  of  its  location.  It  would 
now  have  been  finished,  or  nearly  so,  had  not 
the  contractor,  Henry  Dwight,  jr.,  become  in- 
volved in  financial  difficulties  last  summer.  Ho 
was  finally  forced  to  suspend,  and  the  road  has 
now  passed  into  other  hands.  Those  who  have 
it  in  charge  have  abundant  means  to  complete  it 
as  fast  as  money  can  do  it. 

The  road  is  now  finished,  and  in  operation 
from  Alton  to  Bloomington,  and  with  the  Rock 
Island  and  Aurora  Railroad  to  Lasalla,  and  the 
Illinois  Central  thence  to  Bloomington,  enables 
us  to  reach  the  city  of  Alton,  twenty-five  miles 
above  St.  Louis,  by  railroad.  At  Joliet,  forty 
miles  from  this  city,  this  road  unites  with  the 
Rock  Island,  and  will  run  its  cars  into  the  city 


ILLINOIS  CENTRAL  RAILROAD. 

WM.  P.  BURRALL,  Esq ,  New  York,  President. 
D.  A.  NEAL,  "         Vice  Preset. 

M.  B.  EDGAR,  "         Treasurer. 

R.  B.  MASON,   Chief  Engineer  and  Superin- 
tendent. 

J.  B.  WYMAN,  Assistant  Superintendent. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  magnificent  public  im- 
provements of  its  kind,  in  this  or  any  other 
country.  The  connecting  of  the  great  Lakes 
with  the  Mississippi  at  Cairo,  where  steamers  of 
the  largest  class  can  always  come  up  from  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  was  a  sublime  idea,  and  all  the 
arrangements  for  carrying  it  out  have  been  on  a 
scale  equally  grand  and  extensive.  On  the  20th 
of  September,  1850,  an  act  was  passed  by  Con- 
gress granting  to  the  State  of  Illinois  every  alter- 
nate section  of  land  for  six  miles  on  each  side  of 
the  road,  to  aid  in  its  construction.  At  the  same 
time  the  minimum  price  of  the  lauds  within  the 
same  distance  of  the  road  was  fixed  at  $2.50  per 
acre.  By  this  arrangement  the  Government  lost 


on  that  track,  till  a  separate  road  can  be  con- 
structed. That,  perhaps,  will  be  deferred  for  a 
few  years. 

The  line  between  Joliet  and  Bloomington, 
ninety-three  miles,  is  nearly  all  graded,  and  the 
iron  is  laid  some  fourteen  miles  south  to  Wil- 
mington. The  remainder  of  the  iron  is  in  this 
city  and  Buffalo,  and  it  is  intended  to  have  the 
whole  road  completed  and  in  operation  by  the 
first  of  June  next.  At  that  time  there  will  be 
two  passenger  and  two  freight  trains  leaving 
daily.  The  total  length  of  the  road  from  this  city 
to  Alton  is  265  miles. 

Chicago  is  mainly  indebted,  to.  the  enterprise 
and  energy  of  the  cities  of  Alton  and  Springfield  | 
for  the  building  of  this  road ;  but  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  it  will  add  immensely  to  our  business 
and  commercial  resources.  It  passes  through  a 
rich  and  most  beautiful  country,  and  will  bring 
us  into  direct  communication  with  the  cities  of 
Bloomington,  Springfield  and  Alton,  and  a  host 
of  nourishing  towns  with  which  we  have  hitherto 
had  very  little  business  acquaintance. 

This  road  proposes  also  to  furnish  an  outlet  to 
the  Lower  Mississippi,  and  thence  to  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  through  the  Alton  and  Ulinoistown, 
Belleville  and  Murphysboro',  and  the  Illinois 
Central  to  Cairo. 

The  next  road  in  order  is.  the. 


not  a  shilling  on  the  price  of  the  land,  and  at  the 
same  time  secured  the  advantage  of  bringing  it 
almost  immediately  into  the  market. 

On  the  10th  of  February,  1851,  the  Illinois 
Legislature  chartered  the  present  company,  and 
transferred  the  lands  to  them  on  condition  that 
the  road  should  be  built  within  a  specified  tune, 
and  that  after  it  was  finished  seven  per  cent,  of  its 
gross  receipts  should  annually  be  paid  into  the 
treasury  of  the  State.  By  this  grant  the  com- 
pany became  possessed  of  about  2,650,000  acres 
of  land,  which  the  building  of  the  road  will  very 
soon  bring  up  to  an  average  value  of  at  least  ten 
dollars  per  acre — making  the  snug  little  sum  of 
$26,500,000.  The  estimated  cost  of  the  road  is 
$16,000,000;  thus  giving  to  about  a  baker's 
dozen  of  fortunate  capitalists  $10,500,000,  and 
one  of  the  best  railroads,  in  the  Union,  704:  miles 
long,  and  running  through  one  of  the  richest  and 
most  beautiful  valleys  in  the  worli.  "We  envy 
them  not,  and  the  people  should  not  envy  them 
their  good  fortune.  It  is  due  to  their  forecast 
and  enterprise  that  they  should  enjoy  the  rich 
prize  they  have  secured 

In  noticing  this  road,  it  will  be  best  understood 
if  we  speak  of  it  as  starting  from  Chicago,  al- 
though the  line  from  Cairo  to  Lasalle  is  cajled 
the  main  trunk ;  and  the  section  between  this 
city  and  Centralja,  in  Marion  county,  112  mile* 


north  of  Cairo,  is  called  the  Chicago  Branch. 
From  Chicago  the  road  runs  nearly  direct  to 
Cairo,  varying  only  a  few  miles  at  any  point  from 
a  direct  line.  The  road  is  now  finished  south 
from  Chicago,  and  the  cars  are  running  upon  it 
eighty-seven  miles,  to  Spring  Creek,  Iroquois 
county.  The  track  is  finished  fourteen  miles 
farther,  and  will  be  opened  to  Urbana,  in  Cham- 
paign county,  on  or  before  the  first  of  May  next. 
On  the  first  of  May  there  will  be  two  passenger, 
one  freight  and  one  construction  train  leaving  the 
city  daily.  The  entire  line  will  be  finished  to 
Cairo,  and  from  Cairo  to  Dubuque,  on  or  before 
the  first  of  January,  1855.  The  distance  from 
Chicago  to  Cairo  is  362  miles ;  from  Centralia  to 
Dubuque,  342 — making  the  total  length  of  the 
road  704  miles.  Although  the  line  between  this 
city  and  Cairo  will  not  be  finished  till  the  first  of 
February,  1855,  we  shall  be  in  direct  railroad 
connection  with  that  city  by  the  first  of  August 
next.  The  route  will  then  be  by  St.  Louis. 
Reaching  that  city  by  the  same  means  we  now 
do,  we  can  take  the  Cincinnati  and  St.  Louis 
Railroad  to  Centralia,  and  thence  to  Cairo,  112 
mites,  by  the  Illinois  Central,  which  is  to  be 
finished  by  that  time.  But  by  the  first  of  Oc- 
tober next  the  line  will  be  still  more  direct,  as 
the  road  will  be  completed  by  that  time  from 
Lasalle  to  Cairo.  This  will  give  us  nearly  as  di- 
rect a  communication  with  the  south  as  we  shall 
have  after  the  Chicago  Branch  is  finished.  That 
portion  north  of  Bloomington,  with  the  exception 
of  the  bridge  over  the  Illinois,  is  also  finished, 
and  the  cars  have  been  running  upon  it  for  sev- 
eral months  past.  It  will  be  opened  north  to 
Dixon  by  the  first  of  August  next.  The  road 
will  be  finished  thence  to  Galena  on  the  first  of 
September  following.  The  bridge  t  ver  the  Illi- 
nois river  at  Lasalle  is  to  be  a  splendid  structure. 
It  is  2,990  feet  long,  and  is  to  be  built  in  all  re- 
spects in  the  best  possible  manner. 

The  breakwater  opposite  this  city  is  a  very 
expensive  and  difficult  work.  It  extends  nearly 
two  miles,  and  will  cost,  when  completed,  seven 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars.  For  a  mile 
it  is  built  in  the  lake,  the  inside  line  being  four 
hundred  feet  from  the  east  side  of  Michigan  Ave- 
nue. The  Michigan  Central  enters  the  city  upon 
the  same  track. 

The  rolh'ng  stock  now  on  the  road  cost  six 
hundred  thousand  dollars.  It  is  composed  of 
twenty-five  locomotives,  nineteen  -of  which  are 
new  and  elegant  machines.  The  company  have 
six  others  beyond  Erie.  The  locomotives  cost 
$10,000  each.  There  are  also  twenty-four  first 
class  passenger  cars,  each  costing  $2,285 ;  one 


hundred  and  fifty-eight  covered  freight  cars,  cost- 
ing .$685 ;  three  hundred  and  fifty-seven  platform 
cars,  costing  $585 ;  eight  baggage  cars,  costing 
$1,258 ;  and  thirty-four  gravel  cars,  costing  $358. 
When  the  road  is  completed,  it  will  require  at 
least  one  hundred  locomotives ;  one  hundred 
first  class  passenger  cars ;  five  hundred  plat- 
form, and  one  thousand  covered  freight  cars. 
This  amount  of  stock  is  already  under  contract, 
and  is  to  be  finished  as  fast  as  the  wants  of  the 
road  require. 

The  active  force  now  engaged  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  work  consists  of  seven  thousand  men 
and  two  thousand  teams ;  and  four  hundred  men 
are  employed  in  engineering,  and  on  the  two 
hundred  and  forty-five  miles  of  the  road  which 
are  now  done  and  in  operation.  The  grading, 
including  the  portions  of  the  road  on  which  the 
cars  are  running,  is  completed  on  five  hundred 
and  seventy-two  miles  of  the  line ;  and  we  might 
as  well  here  repeat,  that  the  entire  work  is  to  be 
finished  and  in  operation  on  or  before  the  first 
of  Frbruary,  1855.  The  road  will  steadily  em- 
ploy more  than  five  thousand  men  in  its  several 
departments,  when  it  is  completed. 

In  order  that  persons  at  a  distance  may  be  able 
to  trace  out  this  splendid  road  upon  the  map — 
for  it  is  not  laid  down  on  those  in  ordinary  use — 
we  mention  several  of  the  principal  towns  and 
cities  through  which  it  passes.  Siarting  from 
Chicago,  it  runs  in  nearly  a  direct  line  to  Urbana, 
in  Champaign  county ;  thence  on  a  pretty  direct 
line  to  a  point  a  few  miles  southeast  of  Salem,  in 
Marion  county ;  thence  it  runs  south  within  a 
few  miles  of  the  third  principal  meridian,  to 
Cairo.  Starting  from  Cairo  and  coming  north  to 
Centralia,  the  new  town  above  referred  to  a  few 
miles  southeast  of  Salem,  in  Marion  county,  the 
main  trunk  runs  thence  north  to  Vandalia;  thence 
to  Decatur,  in  Macon  county  ;  thence  to  Clinton, 
in  Dewitfc  county;  thence  to  Bloomington,  in 
McLean  county  ;  thence  through  Lasalle,  Dixon, 
Freeport  and  Galena,  to  a  point  opposite  to 
Dubuque,  in  the  State  of  Iowa.  By  following  the 
line  indicated  on  the  map,  strangers  will  be  en- 
abled to  form  some  definite  idea  of  the  magni- 
tude of  this  splendid  work.  It  is  by  far  the 
longest  line  of  railroad  owned  by  any  one  com- 
pany in  the  Union.  The  country  is  settling  very 
rapidly  along  the  whole  line  of  the  road.  Great 
numbers  of  villages  are  constantly  springing  up, 
and  when  completed  there  will  be  some  seventy 
stations  along  the  line.  We  look  for  an  immense 
emigration  to  the  region  bordering  upon  the  road 
during  the  next  Summer.  The  finest  of  land,  in 
any  quantity,  can  be  purchased  at  from  three  to 


15 


ten  dollars  per  acre,  in  its  vicinity.  Jfo  better 
opportunity  will  ever  be  offered  to  the  enter- 
prising young  men  of  New  England  and  the 
Middle  States,  who  wish  to  escape  from  the 
barren  hilla  and  rugged  mountains  among  which 
they  were  reared,  to  find  a  home  upon  the  mag- 
nificent and  fertile  prairies  of  Illinois. 

The  road  runs  through  thirty-two  counties,  and 
of  the  quality  of  the  soil  and  its  agricultural  re- 
sources it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  speak.  We 
should  only  repeat  what  we  have  said  so  often  in 
reference  to  other  roads.  The  mineral  resources 
of  this  section  of  the  State  shonld  not  be  for- 
gotten in  making  an  estimate  of  its  business,  and 
the  benefits  it  is  to  confer  upon  our  citizens.  It 
runs  directly  across  the  largest  coal  field  in  the 
world,  and  with  our  magnificent  canal  and  the 
other  roads  we  have  mentioned  running  south- 
west, will  furnish  us  fuel  not  only  for  domestic 
purposes,  but  for  the  immense  manufactures 
which  will  be  located  in  every  part  of  the  city. 
It  will  bring  us  the  products  of  the  sanny  South 
in  a  few  hours ;  and  its  construction  will  be  worth 
a  dozen  compromise  measures  in  binding  together 
the  North  and  the  South  in  bonds  of  friendship 
and  mutual  interest  for  all  time  to  come. 

Another  road,  highly  important  to  the  interests 
of  Chicago,  has  been  projected,  and  will  doubt- 
less be  constructed.  We  will  call  it  the 

WABASH  VALLEY  RAILROAD. 

This  road  will  connect  at  Joliet  with  the  Rock 
Island  Road.  From  thence  it  is  proposed  to  con- 
tinue it  through  Paris,  Edgar  county,  Marshall, 
Clark  county,  to  Vincennes,  where  it  will  connect 
with  the  Vincennes  and  Paducah  Road.  The 
trade  of  the  Wabash  Valley  formerly  centered  in 
Chicago.  Of  late  years,  however,  other  channels 
have  absorbed  it  almost  entirely.  The  Illinois 
Central,  the  New  Albany  and  Salem,  and  the 
Cincinnati  Roads,  will  each  restore  a  portion  of 
this  trade.  But  no  one  of  them  is  so  essentially 
a  Wabash  Valley  Road  as  the  one  we  are  consid- 
ering ;  and  its  construction  would  bring  back  to 
us  a  thousand  fold  more  trade  from  that  valley 
than  we  have  lost.  The  Vincennes  and  Paducah 
Road  was  chartered  at  the  last  session  of  the 
Legislature,  and  the  company  is  organized;  the 
Northern  portion  of  what  we  style  the  Wabash 
Valley  Road  is  also  in  charge  of  an  organized 
company.  Considering  the  many  inducements 
•which  there  will  be  to  connect  the  two  together, 
the  opening  up  of  another  route  to  the  South, 
and  furnishing  a  market  to  the  Wabash  Valley 


country,  we  think  we  hazar<f  nothing  in  saying 
that  it  will  be  built. 
The  next  road  in  order  is  the 

CHICAGO  AND  LOGANSPORT  RAILROAD. 

We  mentioned  this  road  last  year,  and  still  in- 
clude it  in  our  list,  as  we  believe  Cincinnati  will 
extend  her  lines  to  this  city  on  this  route  within 
the  next  two  or  three  fears.  It  will  bring  us  the 
trade  of  an  excellent  portion  of  the  Wabash  Val- 
ley and  parts  of  Indiana,  that  now  seek  other 
markets.  It  would  form,  with  the  other  road* 
now  building  in  Ohio  and  Indiana,  a  very  direct- 
route  to  Cincinnati.  Such  a  road  would  be  a  great 
advantage  to  both  cities.  The  distance  to  Cin- 
cinnati is  about  280  miles. 

The  road  next  to  be  considered  is  the 

FORT  WAYNE  AND  CHICAGO  RAILROAD. 

SAMUEL  BANNA,  Eeq.,  Fort  Wayne,  Pretident. 

A.  L.  McJuNKix,  **  Secretary 

and  Treasurer. 

J.  R.  STKAUGHAN,  Fort  Wayne,  Chief  Engi- 
neer. 

This  is  a  very  important  road,  and  will  open  a 
rich  country  to  the  trade  of  our  city.  After  pass- 
ing the  south  bend  of  the  Lake,  it  runs  through 
a  beautiful  country  direct  to  Fort  Wayne,  through 
Valparaiso,  Plymouth,  Warsaw  and  Columbia — 
all  thriving  towns,  and  the  seats  of  justice  for  the 
counties  in  which  they  are  located.  Fort  Wayne 
is  situated  at  the  confluence  of  two  streams 
which  form  tho  Maumee  river.  The  whole  line 
was  put  under  contract  in  May  last,  and  is  to  be 
finished  to  this  city  by  the  first  of  November 
next.  We  are  assured  that  the  company  are  in 
possession  of  abnndant  means  to  complete  the 
work  promptly  at  the  time  above  specified.  A 
large  force  is  at  work  on  the  east  end  of  the  road. 
There  is  no  grade  on  the  whole  line  that  exceeds 
twenty-six  feet  to  the  mile. 

At  Fort  Wayne  the  road  is  to  connect  with  a 
line  of  ether  roads  running  east  across  the  State 
of  Ohio  to  Pittsburg.  The  distance  to  that  city 
is  462  miles,  and  to  Fort  Wayne  145  miles.  By 
"  cyplicring1'1  the  friends  of  this  road  make  it  the 
shortest  route  possible  to  the  principal  cities  in 
the  Eastern  States. 

The  two  great  lines  that  connect  us  with  the 
Atlantic  seaboard  only  remain  to  be  noticed. 
These  are  so  well  known  that  they  will  not  re- 
quire an  extended  notice. 

First  in  order  is  the 


16 


3B1CH,  SOUTH.  AND  NORTH.  INDIANA  R  R. 

JOHN  B.  JERVIS,  Esq  ,  New  York,  President. 
JAS.  ARCHIBALD,  Vice  President 
EDWIN  C.  LITCHFIELD,  New  York,  Treasurer, 
J.  H  MOORK,  Adrian,  Mich.,  Superintendent. 

This  road  was  opened  to  this  city  February  20, 
1852.  Since  then  it  has  been  doing  a  large  and 
constantly  increasing  business.  It  was  the  first 
to  open  a  railroad  communication  to  us  at  all  sea- 
sons of  the  year  with  New  York  and  other  cities 
on  the  Atlantic  coast  Before  this,  our  mer- 
chants, in  order  to  purchase  their  Spring  stock, 
were  forced  to  endure  a  most  fatiguing  journey, 
and  considered  themselves  fortunate  if  they 
reached  New  York  in  a  week  or  teu  days.  It  is, 
in  all  respects,  one  of  the  best  railroads  in  the 
country,  and  must  ever  form  one  of  the  principal 
thoroughfares  between  Chicago  and  the  Atlantic 
cities. 

The  distance  from  Chicago  to  Toledo  is  242, 
and  to  Monroe '  245  miles.  To  New  York  the 
most  direct  route  by  the  south  side  of  Lake  Erie, 
from  Toledo,  is  by  the  Toledo,  Norwalk  and 
Cleveland,  Cleveland  and  Eric,  Buffalo  and  State 
Line,  and  New  York  and  Erie  Railroads.  The 
Southern  roads,  and  the  Central  and  Canada 
roads,  both  claim  to  be  the  shortest  route  to  New 
York ;  but  be  that  as  it  may,  the  time  it  will  re- 
quire to  go  to  that  city  by  either  cannot  be  very 
different  That  will  usually  be  from  thirty  to 
thirty-six  hours. 

We  notice  but  one  branch  of  this  road — the 

CINCINNATI,  PERU  AND  CHICAGO  R.  R. 

How.  W.M.  BEBB,  Rockford,  111.,  President. 
J.  C.  PAYNK,  Peru,  Ind.,  Secretaoy. 

. 
This  road  starts  at  Peru,  Indiana,  where  four 

important  railroads  concentrate,  to  wit :  the  Wa- 
bash  Valley,  the  Indianapolis  and  Peru,  the  Cin- 
cinnati, Cambridge  and  Chicago,  and  the  Ohio 
and  Indiana,  and  runs  thence  through  the 
counties  of  Plymouth,  Marshall  and  La  Porte, 
to  the  city  of  La  Porte,  where  it  connects  with 
the  Northern  Indiana  Road,,  and  thus  reaches 
Chicago. 

This  company  was  organized  last  July,  and 
Gov.  Bebb,  late  of  Ohio,  elected  its  President. 
Books  were  opened  for  stock,  engineers  placed 
in  the  field,  and  running  arrangements  entered 
into  with  all  the  connecting  lines  by  which  the 
parties  agree  to  adopt  a  uniform  guage,  meet  in 
the  same  depots,  and  in  all  respects  to  make  these 
roads  great  through  lines,  by  which  passengers 
and  freight  are  to  be  transferred,  without  change 


of  cars,  from  Chicago  to  Indianapolis,  Cincinnati 
and  Columbus,  respectively. 

The  road  has  been  located  over  a  fertile  and 
beautiful  country,  abounding  in  fine  forests,  iron 
ore  and  agricultural  products,  and  let  to  Messrs. 
French  &  Tyner,  highly  responsible  contractors, 
who  have  obligated  themselves  to  make  it,  in  all 
respects,  a  first  class  railroad,  with  depots  and 
water  stations  and  rolling  stock  complete,  by  the 
first  day  of  March,  1855. 

We  look  upon  this  short  line  of  railroad — sev- 
enty miles  long — connecting,  as  it  will,  the  capi- 
tals of  the  great  States  of  Ohio  and  Indiana,  and 
the  city  of  Cincinnati,  with  the  commercial  em- 
porium and  great  railroad  center  of  the  North- 
West,  as  soon  to  become  one  of  our  most  im- 
portant thoroughfares. 

MICHIGAN  CENTRAL  RAILROAD. 

J.  M.  FORBES,  Boston,  President. 
J.  W.  BROOKS,  Detroit,  Vice  Prefident. 
GEO.  B.  UPTONY,  Boston,  Treasurer* 
E.  NOYES,  Detroit,  Superintendent* 

This  road  connects  us  with  Detroit,  a  distance 
of  282  miles.  It  is  built  in  the  most  substantial 
manner,  and  is  managed  with  great  ability  and 
energy.  It  was  opened  to  Chicago  on  the  21st 
of  May,  1852.  On  the  17th  of  February  last  the 
Canada  Great  Western  Railroad  was  opened  from 
Detroit  to  Buffalo  and  Niagara  Falls,  thus  giving 
us  two  great  thoroughfares  to  the  Atlantic  sea- 
board. Both  of  them  will  always  have  as  much 
as  they  can  possibly  da  They  are  both  managed 
with  consummate  skill;  and  all  that  can  be  done 
to  facilitate  travel  and  render  the  wayfaring  man 
comfortable,  competition  will  be  sure  to  afford. 

Three  passenger  and  two  freight  trains  will  be 
put  on  this  road  on  or  before  the  first  of  May. 
An  important  branch  of  this  road  is  the 

NEW  ALBANY  AND  SALEM  RAILROAD. 

JAS.  BROOKS,  Esqv,  New  Albany,  Ind.,  Presi- 
dent. 

C.  KXOWI.TON,  Michigan  City,  Superintendent. 

This  road  connects  Michigan  City,  Ind.r  with 
New  Albany,  nearly  opposite  Louisville,  Ky.,  on 
the  Ohio  river.  Its  length  is  284  miles.  The 
road  is  now  finished  some  155  mites  south  from 
Michigan  City,  and  a  portion  of  the  line  running 
north  from  New  Albany  is  now  in  operation. 
Only  38  miles  remain  to  be  completed,  and  for 
this  the  grading  is  nearly  done,  and  the  cars  will 
be  running  by  the  first  of  June  next.  It  forms 
now  the  main  route  to  Cincinnati,  and  is  already 


17 


of  great  advantage  to  our  city.  It  brings  us  into 
connection  with  some  of  the  finest  portions  of 
Indiana,  and  gives  us  a  direct  route  to  Kentucky. 
It  cannot  fail  to  furnish  us  a  large  trade. 

We  have  now  completed  our  sketch  of  the 
railroads  centering  in  Chicago.  We  have  given 
the  names  of  the  officers  as  far  ar  we  could  pro- 
cure them,  in  order  that  our  readers  might  know 
to  whom  to  write  in  regard  to  the  business  of 
each  respective  road.  Where  the  residence  is 
not  stated,  it  may  be  taken  for  granted  that  they 
live  in  this  city.  In  most  cases  we  have  traced 
the  branches  and  extensions  of  the  roads  leading 
from  this  city  only  into  the  States  adjoining  our 
own.  It  would  have  been  easy  to  extend  the 
liues  to  the  Pacific  and  the  Atlantic  coast.  This 
is  totally  unnecessary,  as  each  one  of  our  readers 
can  do  it  for  himself.  We  have  now  two  Eastern 
lines,  and  another  will  soon  be  added.  The  Pa- 
cific Railroad  must  soon  become  a  fixed  fact,  and 
should  it  be  built  through  the  South  Pass,  or 
through  that  discovered  by  Gov.  Stevens,  we 
need  not  stop  to  speculate  as  to  the  influence  it 
will  have  on  the  destiny  of  our  city.  That  cer- 
tainly needs  no  illustration. 

As  the  mathematician,  after  he  has  wearied 
himself  amid  the  Intricacies  of  long  difBcult  the- 
orems, at  length  arrives  at  the  summation  of  the 
series,  so  it  remains  for  us  to  give  a  synopsis  of 
our  article,  that  our  readers  may  the  better  be 
able  to  comprehend  the  great  railroad  system 
that  has  its  centre  in  Chicago. 

The  following  is  the  total  number  of  roads  in 
process  of  construction,  with  the  proposed  exten- 
sion and  branches  of  each : 

MILKS. 

Chic.igo  and  Milwaukee, 

Milwaukee  and  Fond  do  Lac, 

Racine  and  Beloit  Riilroad, 
Illinois  and  Wisconsin  t»  JanesviHe,  88X 

P.  nd  du  Lac  Branch,  Janesviile  to  P.  D.  L.,          78 

Madison  Branch, 

South  Wisconsin.  Jan°sYiile  to  Bubuqae, 
Galena  and  Chicago  Union,  Chicago  to  Freeport,     121 

Fox  River  Valley  Railroad,  34 

Wisconsin  Central,  150 

Beloit  Branch  of  the  Galena, 

Beloit  :ind  M  lititnn  Railroad.  <7J< 

Milwaukee  and  Mississippi.  Western  division, 
Madison  to  Prairie  du  (  hien,  96 

Madison  and  rt.  Paul  Railroad. 

Milwaukee  and  La  Crosse.  Western  division,      180 

Madison  and  Lake  Superisr,  275 

Chicago  and  Galena  Air-Line,  Chicago  to  Fulton 
Ci'y, 

Lyons  Iowa  Central,  Fulton  to  Council  Bluffc,     308 
Chicago,  St.  Charles  and  Mfetusippi  Air  Line  to 

Savanna,         Y  130 

ChiCHgo  «nd  St.  Charles  Branch  to  Galena,          SO 

Galena  and  Minnesota,  350 

Iowa  (  entral  Air  Line,  825 

Chicago  and  Aurora  Railroad  to  Mendcta.  89     ' 

2 


MUB. 

Central  Military  Tract  Railroad, 

Peoria  and  Oquawka,  West,  division,  40 

Burlington  und  Missouri  Railroad,  220 

Northern  •  rosa  Railroad,  Galesburg  (o  Quiccy,  120 

Hannibal  and  Missouri,  205 

Chicago  and  Rock  ls!<uid  Kailroad,  181 

Mississippi  und  Missouri.  It  division,  300 

do.                   do.      2d       do.  300 

do.  do.      3d       do.    Muscatine 

to  Cedar  Rapids,  59 

Peoria  and  Bureau  Valley  Railroad,  47 

Peoria  and  Warsaw  Railr  •ad,  90 

Peoria  and  Hannibal  Railroad,  123 

Peoria  to  Illinoistown,  opposite  St.  Louis,  180 

Peoria  and  Oquawka,  Eastern  division,  60 

Chicago  and  Mississippi,  Alton  to  Chicago,  265 

Great  Western,  Naples  to  Springfield,  65 

Alton,  Illinoi  stown  and  Muiphysboro',  .     114 

Illinoi-  Central  Railroad,  704 

Wubash  Valley  Kailroad,  360 

Chicago  and  Log.icsport  Railroad  to  Cincinnati,     280 

Fort  Wayne  and  Chicago,  145 

Mich.  South,  and  North.  Indiana,  243 

Cincinnati.  Peru  and  Chicago  Railroad,  70 

Michigan  Central  Railroad,  282 

New  Albany  and  Salem  Railroad,  284 

Total.  .14  Trunk  and  34  Extension  and  Branch 
Lines,  7,803 

We  have  not  the  means  of  making  compari- 
sons ;  but  we  should  like  to  see  tables  from  other 
interior  cities.  We  doubt  whether  any  other  city 
in  the  Union,  not  situated  on  the  seaboard,  can 
show  a  similar  list.  Lest  it  shall  be  said  that 
most  of  these  roads  are  merely  to  be  built  "o« 
paper,"  we  have  other  tables  to  give,  that  will 
put  to  flight,  all  such  vagaries.  The  money  to 
build  the  following  liues  is  all  provided  to  com- 
plete them  at  the  time  specified  in  the  table  ;  and 
we  have  not  a  doubt  that  the  number  of  miles  in 
operation  will  be  more,  rather  than  less,  than  we 
have  given. 

The  following  list  shows  the  roads  that  are,  or 
will  be,  completed  by  the  first  of  December  of 
the  present  year  j 


Chicago  and  Milwaukee  Railroad,  90 

Illinois  and  Wisconsin,  88K 

Galena  and  Chicago  Union  to  Freeport,  121 

Fox  River  Valley  Railroad,  34 

Beloit  Branch  of  the  Galena,  2i> 

Beloit  and  Madison  (about),  30 

Chicago  and  Galena  Air  Line,  135 

Lyons  Iowa  Central,  to  Tipton,  50 
Chicago,  St.  Charles  and  Mississippi  Air-Line,  to. 

Oregon,  95 

Chicago  and  Aurora,  89 

Cen  tral  Mil!  tary  Tract,  84 

Peoria  and  Oquawka,  Galeshvrgh  to  Burling- 

ton, 40 

Chicago  and  Rock  Island  Railroad,  181 

Mississippi  and  Missouri,  to  Iowa  City,  1st  di- 

vision, 47 

Mississippi  and  Missouri,  2d  division,  to  Mus- 

catine, 80 

Peoria  and  Bureau  Valley,  47 

Chicago  and  Mississibpi  Railroad,  285 

Great  Western,  Naples  to  Springfield,  68 


18 


Illinois  Central  Railroad  (about), 

Mich.  South,  and  North.  Indiana,  to  Toledo, 

Michigan  Central, 

New  Albany  and  Salem, 


MILES. 
b50 
242 
282 
284 


Total.. 11  Trunk  and  11  Branch  and  Exten- 
sion Lines,  2.P79K 

But  we  may  be  permitted  to  look  forward  a 
year  and  five  months.  The  following  is  the  list 
of  the  roads  that  now  are,  or  will  be,  in  operation 
on  the  first  of  July,  1855 : 

MILES, 

Chicago  and  Milwaukee,  90 

Illinois,  and  Wisconsin,  to  JanesTiHe,  88X 

Madis«n  Branch,  35 

Galena  and  Chicago  Union,  Chicago  to  Freeport,     121 

Fox  River  Valley  Railroad,  34 

Beloit  Branch  of  the  Galena,  20 

Beloit  and  Madison,  47X 

Chicago  and  Galena  Air-Line,  135 

Lyons  Iowa  Central  to  Iowa  City,  73 

Chicago,  St.  Charles  and  Mississippi  Air-Line,  to 

Oregon,  P5 

Chicago  and  Aurora,  89 

Central  Military  Tract,  84 

Peoria  and  Oquawka,  Galesburgh  to  Burling- 
ton, 40 

Northern  Cross,  Galesburgh  to  Quincy,  120 

Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph  Railroad,  205 

Peoria  and  Hannibal,  120 

Chicago  and  Rock  Island  Railroad,  181 

Mississippi  and  Missouri,  1st  division,  to  Iowa 
City,  57 

Mississippi  and  Missouri,  2d  division,  to  Mus- 
catine,  30 

Mississippi  and  Missouri,  3d  division,  Musca- 
tine  to  Cedar  Rapids,  50 

Pe»ria  and  Bureau  Valley,  47 

Chicago  and  Mississippi  Railroad.  285 

Great  Western,  Naples  to  Springfield,  65 

Illinois  Central,  764 

Fort  Wayne  and  Chicago,  145 

Michigan  Southern  and  Northern  Indiana,  to  To- 
ledo, 242 

Cincinnati,  Peru  and  Chicago  Railroad,  70 

Michigan  Central  Railroad,  283 

New  Albany  and  Salem  Railroad,  284 

Total.  .12  Trunk  and  16  Branch  and  Exten- 
sion Lines,  3,839 

But  lest  any  venerable  "croaker"  "with 
spectacles  on  nose,"  should  still  be  in  doubt  as 
to  our  commercial  facilities,  we  submit  one  more 
list 

The  following  table  exhibits  the  number  of 
railroads  that  are  now  in  operation,  leading  into 
this  city,  with  the  number  of  miles  that  are  now 
completed : 

MILES. 

Illinois  and  Wisconsin,  to  Deer  Grove,  32 

Galena  and  Chicago  Union,  to  Freeport,  121 

Beloit  Branch  of  the  Galena,  29 

Galena  Air-Line,  to  Lane,  Ogle  co.,  75 

Chicago,  St.  Charles  and  Mississippi  Air  Line.  10 

Chicago  and  Aurora,  89 

Chicago  and  Rock  Island,  181 

Chicago  and  Mississippi,  Alton  to  Bloomington,  132 

Great  Western,  Naples  to  Springneld,  65 


pCUB 

Illinois  Central,  253 

Mieh.  South,  and  North.  Indiana,  to  Toledo,  242 

Michigan  Central,  282 

New  Albany  and  Salem,  2S<* 

Total.. 10  Trunk  and  3  Branch  and  Exten- 
sion Lines,  1.735 

On  these  roads  there  will  be  daily  leaving  and 
entering  the  city  on  the  first  of  May  next  forty- 
six  trains,  making  in  all  ninety-two  trains  per  day 
over  the  roads,  to  accommodate  oar  travel  and 
commerce.  Here  is  a  fact  which,  had  we  time, 
it  would  be  worth  while  to  atop  and  contemplate. 
A  fact  of  still  greater  significance  is,  that  less  than 
two  years  ago  we  had  only  one  railroad  entering 
the  city — the  Galena  and  Chicago  Union — and 
that  was  finished  only  a  few  miles.  Now  we  have 
1,785  miles,  counting  only  two  States  from  our 
own,  and  by  the  first  of  December  we  shall  have 
2,979^  miles.  GJUI  it  be  wondered  at  that  our 
city  has  doubled  its  population  within  the  same 
time,  and  that  the  price  of  real  estate  and  busi- 
ness of  all  kinds  have  increased  in  a  correspond- 
ing ratio.  Splendid  fortunes  have  been  made  in 
two  years.  Men  who  were  trading  m  small 
seven-by-nine  wooden  tenements,  now  find  a 
splendid  brick  store  too  small  to  accommodate 
their  customers.  Real  estate  in  the  suburbs  of 
the  city  that  could  be  bought  five  years  ago  for 
fifty  dollars  per  acre,  is  now  worth  five  thousand, 
and  many  fortunate  speculators  have  realized 
splendid  fortunes.  The  rise  in  real  estate  is  by 
no  means  confined  to  a  few  shrewd  operators. 
From  the  first  our  citizens  generally  have  been 
determined  to  have  a  home  of  their  own.  Gen- 
erally they  would  purchase  a  lot  eighty  feet  front, 
and  often  four  or  even  ten  times  that  amount. 
The  rise  hi  the  value  of  their  homes,  so  much 
larger  than  was  necessary  in  a  city,  has  placed 
many  a  family  in  easy  circumstances. 

But  will  some  cautious  wiseacre  ask,  Are  these 
things  to  continue  ?  We  will  not  stop  to  answer 
the  question,  but  will  simply  say,  on  the  first  of 
January  next  we  shall  have  3,000  miles  of  rail- 
road leading  into  the  city,  and  by  a  year  from 
that  tune  it  will  be  entirely  safe  to  add  another 
thousand.  How  much  it  will  augment  the  busi- 
ness of  the  city,  and  appreciate  the  value  of  real 
estate  to  double  the  miles  of  railroad  centering 
here,  and  to  double  the  population  of  the  city, 
and  also  of  the  magnificent  country  which  is  tri- 
butary to  it,  we  shall  leave  the  ultra  cautious  to 
estimate.  The  railroads  will  certainly  be  finished, 
but  we  shall  not  hazard  an  opinion  as  to  the 
population  of  the  city  or  the  price  of  real  estate 
on  the  first  of  January,  1856.  We  hope  to  be 


then,  and  we  know  our  readers  will,  if  we 
aad  they  live  to  see  that  "happy  new  year." 
Time  will  show. 

There  is  another  most  important  fact  that 
should  be  considered,  iti  speaking  of  Chicago,  as 
a  great  railroad  centre.  She  has  not,  in  her  cor- 
porate capacity,  invested  a  single  dollar  in  any 
•>f  them.  While  the  bonds  of  other  cities  ai-e 
hawked  about  in  Wall  street  to  build  railroads 
t'.iat  in  turn  are  expected  to  build  the  cities  in 
which  they  terminate,  Chicago  has  prudently  kept 
aloof  from  all  such  dangerous  speculations.  All 
our  roads  have  been  projected  and  will  be  built 
by  private  enterprise.  This  shows  that  capitalists 
have  placed  abundant  confidence  in  our  commer- 
cial position,  and  the  result  is  demonstrating  most 
dearly  that  they  have  judged  correctly.  We 
refer  to  this  matter  with  peculiar  satisfaction,  and 
we  are  sure  it  will  have  -an  important  bearing  in 
shaping  the  future  destiny  of  the  city. 

It  may  be  answered,  that  the  city  would  have 
made  large  sums  by  foresting  her  credit  in  rail- 
road stocks.  It  is  true  that  Galena  stock  and 
•that  of  several  -of  our  other  roads  sell  at  prices 
that  astonish  Eastern  capitalists,  who  are  igno- 
rant of  the  resources  of  the  Central  States,  and 
the  cheapness  with  which  our  roads  are  built. 
The  stock,  however,  sells  for  no  more  than  it  is 
really  worth ;  and  we  should  not  be  surprised  to 
see  it  attain  a  much  higher  figure.  But  expe- 
rience has  shown  that,  where  cities  become  in- 
volved in  extensive  schemes  of  internal  improve- 
me"t,  corrupt  demagogues  generally  find  means 
to  fatten  upon  the  public  treasury,  and  in  the  end 
bring  ruin  and  disgrace  upon  the  community 
whose  confidence  they  had  managed  to  secure. 
From  all  such  dangers  Chicago  is  entirely  free. 
She  ha?,  it  is  true,  issued  her  bonds  to  construct 
the  water  works,  and  she  has,  in  addition,  a  small 
floating  debt.  But  the  water  works  will,  in  a  few 
V'.  ara,  liquidate  the  debt  contracted  for  their  con- 
struction, and  she  can,  without  serious  inconve- 
nience, pay  all  her  other  liabilities  in,  at  most, 
three  or  five  years.  The  important  fact  is  worth 
repeating,  that  Chicago,  a  city  that  will  have 
three  thousand  mi'es  of  railroad  in  operation 
centering  iu  it,  on  the  first  of  January  next, 

i'OES    SOT  OWE  A    6IXOLK    DOLLAR    FOE  THE1F.  COX- 
8TKUCTIO9. 

Our  task  is  accomplished.  We  ask  our  citizens 
to  contemplate  the  magnificent  system  of  public 
works  that  have  been  completed  in  two  short 
years.  The  past  is  certain.  To  the  future  let 
ue  look,  and  gird  ourselves  for  the  work  that  is 
before  us.  From  almost  every  place  in  the  Union, 
aod  from  across  the  wide  Atlantic,  the  industrious 


and  the  enterprising  are  seeking  a  home  in  the 
"Garden  City."  Let  us  give  them  a  warm- 
hearted, generous  welcome.  Along  our  broad 
streets,  or  upon  our  wide-spread,  beautiful  prai- 

'  ries,  we  have  ample  room  for  them  all.  Let 
them  come,  and  identify  themselves  with  tbe 

'  great  central  commercial   city   of   the   Central 

j  States ! 


From  Daily  Press  of  Jan.  81. 
Other  Advantages  and  Facilities. 

Casual  readers  may,   perhaps,    inquire   what 

i  other  facilities  and  advantages  Chicago  possesses 

j  beside  her  railroads.     We  answer,  in  the  first 

place,  that  her  bills  of  mortality  show  her  to  be 

one  of  the  very  healthiest  of  American  cities. 

During  the  year  1853,  the  ratio  of  mortality  in 

five  of  the  leading  cities  was  as  follows : 

New  York 1  to  S7K 

Philadelphia Ito45 

Baltimore lto»9 

Boston 1  toSC*' 

Chicago !  to  MX 

In  the  second  place,  our  city  is  situated  at  the 
i  terminus  of  the   great  chain  of  Northwestern 
i  lakes,  giving  us,  during  the  season  of  navigation, 
access  to  the  New  York  canals  and  the  St.  Law- 
rence river.     Chicago  must  therefore  be,  for  all 
i  time,  the  great  collecting  and  distributing  point 
for  the  vast  region  of  country  brought  into  com- 
mercial relation  with  her  by  means  of  her  ex- 
tended system  of  railroads,     Prospectively,  we 
might  speak  of  the  ultimate  freo  navigation  of 
the  St.  Lawrence,  by  which  means  vessels  loaded 
at  our  docks  will  be  able  to  make  their  way  to 
the  ocean,  and  thence  direct  to  the  docks  of  Liv- 
erpool or  any  other  trans- Atlantic  mart. 

1  hen  again,  Southward,  the  Illinois  and  Michi- 
gan Canal  gives  us  water  communication  with 
the  Mississippi  and  its  various  tributaries ;  and- 
much  of  the  increase  of  the  business  of  our  city, 
for  the  past  five  years,  has  come  from  this 
source. 

Some  sixty  miles  south  of  the  city  we  touch 
the  northern  rim  of  the  great  Illinois  coal-field, 
over  which  passes  a  number  of  our  railroads,  and 
which  is  also  traversed  by  the  Illinois  and  Michi- 
gan Canal  and  the  Illinois  river.  From  this 
source  an  endless  supply  of  fuel  for  domestic  and 
manufacturing  purposes  is  insured.  Westward 
are  the  lead  mines,  and  northward  the  iron  and 
copper  mines  of  Lake  Superior.  These  facts 
point  to  Chicago  as  the  ultimate  seat  of  extensive 
manufactures. 


20 


Lastly,  our  city  w  situated  in  a  genial  climate, 
and  in  the  heart  of  a  district  that  is  unsurpassed 
in  its  agricultural  resources.  The  country  is 
rapidly  filling  up  with  an  enterprising  and  indus- 
trious population,  arid  on  every  hand,  both  in 
country  and  city,  are  to  be  seen  the  evidences  of 
general  thrift  and  prosperity. 


From  Daily  Press  of  Jafluary  81. 
The  Population  of  Chicago. 

As  this  number  of  our  paper  will  be  read  by 
many  persona  who  do  not  see  the  Democratic 
Press  regularly,  we  subjoin  the  population  of 
Chicago  at  various  periods : 


1»40, 
1843, 
184-, 
1846, 
1847, 


4.4t9'184», 
7.3»»  1849, 
12.i8e  l?oil, 
14.1i9  1853. 


60,652 


This  table  will  prove  that  the  commercial  and 
manufacturing  facilities  of  Chicago  are  being  ap- 
preciated. There  is  no  other  city  east  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  that  can  show  a  ratio  of  in- 
crease at  all  corresponding  with  the  above. 
When  to  this  we  add  that,  with  all  our  popula- 
tion and  capital,  we  have  not  half  the  money  nor 
half  the  laborers  that  the  commerce,  manufac- 
tures and  general  improvement  of  the  city  re- 
quire, some  faint  conception  may  be  formed  of 
the  strong  inducements  which  are  held  out  her?' 
to  bring  both  capital  and  industry  among  as 
There  is  not  an  idle  dollar  nor  an  idle  arm  o* 
head  in  Chicago,  unless  it  be  from  choice, 


HISTORY  OF  CHICAGO. 


JLFTS&  we  published  oar  article  on  "CHICAGO 
VND  HER  RAILROADS,"  January  31st,  it  occurred 
to  us  that  a  short  sketch  of  the  history  of  Chicago 
»vould  not  prove  unacceptable  to  our  readers. 
At  first  we  intended  merely  a  brief  notice,  to 
•show  her  rapid  growth,  in  connection  with  our 
Annual  Review  of  the  business  of  the  city.  The 
more  we  studied  the  subject,  and  consulted  those 
•who  have  been  here  since  the  wolves  were  accus- 
tomed to  visit  every  part  of  the  city  in  the  night, 
.aud  the  wigwam  of  the  painted  savage  dotted  the 
prairie  on  every  side,  the  more  have  facts  accu- 
mulated upon  our  hands,  till  now  our  only  diffi- 
culty is  to  know  what  to  reject.  The  rapid 
growth  of  the  city  within  the  last  eight  years — 
her  immense  increase  in  wealth  and  population — 
the  proud  position  she  has  assumed  among  the 
commercial  cities  of  the  Unic  n,  and  the  certainty 
that  her  march  will  be  OXWARB,  till  she  yields  in 
importance  only  to  New  York,  have  created  a 
very  general  desire  among  a  portion  of  our  own 
-citizens,  and  especially  in  the  Eastern  States,  to 
know  more  of  her  past  history  as  well  as  her 
present  resources  and  future  prospects.  "The 
history  of  Chicago  is  intimately  connected  with 
the  settlement  and  growth  of  the  other  parts  of 
the  State,  and  it  will  be  equally  interesting  to 
notice  in  a  few  paragraphs  some  facts  In  relation 
to  the  settlement  of  this  part  of  the  Mississippi 
Valley. 

The  origin  of  the  term  Illinois  is  given  in  the 
"  "Western  Annals,"  edited  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Peck, 
as  follows :  "The  name  Illinois  is  derived  from 
Leno,  '  man.1  The  Delaware  Indians  call  them- 
selves Lenno-Lenapo,  which  means  '  original,  or 
unmixed  men.'  The  term  manly  men,  to  dis- 
tinguish themselves  from  mean,  trifling  men,  would 
<jonvey  the  exact  idea.  The  tribes  along  the  Illi- 
nois gave  the  French  explorers  to  understand 
that  they  were  real  men.  They  said  '  lono,'  or 
•  leni.'  "  The  termination  "  ois"  is  undoubtedly 
?f  French  origin.  As  all  strange  and  uncouth 


sounds  are  liable  to  be  mis-spelled,  it  is  very  easy 
to  see  from  the  above  how  the  beautiful  name 
which  our  State  bears  was  formed  from  the  lan- 
guage of  the  first  monarchs  of  the  soil 

The  "Hlmi,"  or  Illinois  Indians,  occupied  all 
the  territory  north  of  a  line  drawn  northeast  and 
southwest  through  the  city  of  Ottawa,  extending 
east  to  the  Wabash,  and  west  to  the  Mississippi 
river.  The  term  was  also  applied  to  an  indefinite 
territory  west  Of  the  Mississippi. 

The  first  white  men  who  ever  visited  this  re- 
gion were  Marquette  and  Joliet,  two  Jesuit  mis- 
sionaries, who  explored  this  section  of  the  Missis- 
sippi valley  in  the  years  1662-3.  Hennepin  and 
La  Sane  followed  a  few  years  later,  and  as  a  con- 
sequence of  these  several  explorations  and  dis- 
coveries, a  magnificent  scheme  was  formed  by 
France  to  extend  her  possessions  frem  Canada 
to  New  Orleans,  and  thus  having  embraced  the 
entire  inhabited  portion  of  the  Western  Conti- 
nent, to  advance  Eastward,  and  secure  the 
authority  over  the  vast  empire  which  her  emi- 
nent statesmen  even  then  foresaw  must  ere  long 
occupy  this  magnificent  country.  The  plan  was 
well  arranged,  and  its  accomplishment  constantly 
'kept  in  view  for  nearly  a  hundred  years  by  the 
adventurous  sons  of  La  Belle  France,  but  it  was 
completely  overthrown  by  the  gallant  Wolfe  on 
the  plains  of  Abraham,  on  the  13th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1759.  As  a  consequence  of  that  victory, 
Canada  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  English.  The 
war  of  the  revolution  transferred  the  northwest- 
ern possessions  of  the  British  to  the  United  States, 
and  the  purchase  of  Louisiana  by  Mr.  Jefferson 
from  the  French  in  1803,  gave  us  the  possession 
of  the  entire  Mississippi  Valley.  The  wisdom  of 
that  purchase,  though  strenuous'y  opposed  at  the 
time,  is  now  acknowledged  by  all  parties. 

Early  in  the  revolutionary  war  Col.  G.  'R.  Clark 
had  formed  the  design  of  attacking  the  forts  of 
the  British  at  Detroit  and  in  Southern  Illinois, 
and  laid  his  plans  before  the  Virginia  Legislature. 


On  the  2d  of  January,  1778,  he  received  author- 
ity from  Patrick  Henry,  then  Governor  of  that 
State,  to  raise  troops  and  to  march  westward  on 
his  bold  and  hazardous  enterprise.  This  expe- 
dition was  successful,  and  as  a  consequence,  Vir- 
ginia laid  claim  to  the  territory  north  and  west  of 
the  Ohio  river.  This  claim  was  acknowledged 
by  the  other  States,  and  Illinois  was  organized  as 
a  county  of  Virginia  in  October,  1778.  The  act 
was  practically  inoperative,  as  we  cannot  find 
that  any  one  in  behalf  of  that  State  earned  the 
law  into  effect.  From  that  time  till  1784  there 
was  no  legal  authority  in  the  State.  The  people 
were  "  a  law  unto  themselves,"  and  to  the  credit 
of  the  early  settlers,  the  annalist  adds,  that  "good 
feelings,  harmony  and  fidelity  to  engagements 
prevailed."  In  March,  1784,  Virginia  ceded  to 
the  United  States  all  her  claim  to  the  territory 
northwest  of  the  Ohio ;  and  in  1790  Gov.  St.  Clair 
organized  the  county  which  bears  his  name. 
From  the  year  1800  to  1809  Illinois  was  attached 
to  the  Territory  of  Indiana.  In  February  of  the 
latter  year  Congress  passed  an  act  establishing 
the  Territory  of  Illinois,  and  appointed  the  Hon. 
Ninian  Edwards,  then  Chief  Justice  of  Kentucky, 
Governor  of  the  Territory,  and  Nathaniel  Pope, 
Esq.,  of  Kaskaskia,  Secretary.  The  Territory 
was  organized  by  Judge  Pope  in  March,  and 
Gov.  Edwards  arrived  in  June,  and  assumed  the 
duties  of  his  office. 

The  first  Territorial  Legislature  convened  at 
Kaskaskia  on  the  25th  of  November,  1812  ;  the 
Council,  or  Upper  House,  consisting  of  five,  and 
the  Assembly  of  seven  members.  The  author  of 
the  "  Western  Annals"  says  of  this  body :  "  They 
did  their  work  like  men  devoted  to  business  mat- 
ters. Not  a  lawyer  or  an  attortiey  is  found  on  the 
list  of  names.  They  deliberated  like  sensible  men 
— passed  such  laws  as  they  deemed  the  country 
needed ;  made  no  speeches,  had  no  contention,  ; 
and  after  a  brief  session  of  some  ten  or  twelve 
days,  adjourned."  We  are  sorry  to  say,  that  this 
good  example  has  had  too  little  influence  upon 
succeeding  Legislatures. 

In  1815,  Hon.  Nathaniel  Pope  was  elected  as 
Representative  of  the  Territory  in  Congress.    The 
jiorth  line  of  the  Territory,  as  originally  defined, 
ran  due  west  from  the  south  bend  of  Lake  Michi- 
gan to  the  Mississippi.     Judge  Pope,  seeing  the 
importance  of  having  a  lake  front  in  the  future  I 
State  of  Illinois,  procured  the  passage  of  an  act 
extending  that  line  north  to  the  parallel  of  42 
degrees  and  SO  minutes,  thus  securing  a  most  j 
important  portion  of  territory   from  our  sister  j 
State  of  Wisconsin. 

Congress  passed  an  act  in  1818,  approved  by  i 


James  Monroe,  April  18th,  authorizing  the  peo- 
ple to  form  a  State  Government,  provided  it 
should  be  ascertained  that  it  contained  40,000 
inhabitants.  All  accounts  agree  in  estimating 
the  total  number  ef  people  at  about  30,000  ;  but 
the  different  Marshals,  by  accidentally  counting 
the  emigrants,  who  were  coming  ia  or  passing 
through  the  Sta'e,  several  times,,  made  out  the  full 
number.  Delegates  to  form  a  constitution  wera 
elected,  who  met  at  Kaskaskia  in  July,  1818,  and 
having  completed  their  labors,  they  signed  the 
constitution,  and  adjourned  on  the  26th  day  of 
August.  The  constitution  was  adopted  by  the 
people,  and  the  first  Legislature  convened  at 
Kaskaskia,  on  the  first  Monday  in  October  fol- 
lowing. Shadrach  Bond,  of  Kaskaskia,  was  elected 
Governor,  and  Pierre  Menard,  of  the  same  place. 
Lieut.  Governor. 

It  will  be  s«en,  from  the  above,  that  it  is  not 
yet  thirty-six  years  since  our  State  Government 
was  formed ;  a  State  which  has  now  more  than 
a  million  of  inhabitants,  and  whose  principal  com? 
mercial  city  has  more  than  60,000  inhabitants, 
and  1,785  miles  of  railroad  completed,  contrib- 
uting to  its  prosperity.  By  the  first  of  January 
next,  it  will  hare  3,000  miles  finished  and  in 
operation. 

We  have  found  a  great  deal  that  is  both  in- 
structive and  amusing  in  the  early  legislation  of 
the  State,  but  we  have  room  for  only  a  single 
incident.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that  the 
first  settlements  were  made  in  the  southern  parts 
of  the  State,  by  emigrants  principally  from  Vir- 
ginia, Kentucky,  and  some  of  the  other  Southern 
States.  Many  of  them  had  a  sort  of  "  holy  hor- 
ror" for  that  ubiquitous,  ever-trading  sharper, 
"  the  live  Yankee."  To  guard  against  his  dep- 
redations, a  law  was  passed,  February  14th,  1823, 
duly  enacting,  that  "No  person  shall  bring  in 
and  peddle,  or  sell,  wooden  clocks  in  this  State, 
unless  they  first  take  out  an  extra  license ;"  for 
which  the  price  was  $50.  The  penalty  for  vio- 
lating the  law  was  fixed  at  the  same  sum.  This 
"  said  sum"  would  make  a  sad  inroad  upon  Jona- 
than's profits,  and  hence,  under  the  impulses  of 
his  "higher  law"  notions  of  the  value  of  money,, 
he  pursued  his  "  chosen  calling"  without  anv 
regard  to  the  majesty  of  the  law  in  "such  case 
made  and  provided."  He  was  of  course  arrested,, 
and  hi  due  form  arraigned  before  the  court  of 
Fayette  county.  The  fact  of  "  selling*1  was  not 
denied,  but  it  appeared  in  evidence  that  one 
Yankee  brought  them  "  in" — across  the  river  at 
St.  Louis — and  another  "  sold"  them.  The  coun- 
sel for  the  prisoner — our  fellow  citizen,  Wm.  H. 
Brown,  Esq. — contended  that  it  must  be  showu 


23 


that  the  prisoner  did  both  "  bring  in  and  peddle  j 
or  sell."  Jonathan,  as  usual,  esciped,  and  went 
on  his  way  "peddling"  and  "selling"  his  wooden 
wares.  We  believe  his  "  Yankees/tip"  has  al- 
ways, since  the  failure  of  that  law  to  "  head  him 
off,"  been  permitted  to  exercise  his  peculiar 
habits  without  "  let  or  hindrance." 

The  history  of  our  city  is  very  intimately  con- 
nected with  that  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan 
Canal.  The  idea  of  a  canal  connecting  the  wa- 
ters of  the  Lakes  with  those  of  the  Mississippi, 
was  suggested  as  early  as  1814.  In  Niles'  Regis- 
ter of  August  6th  the  following  paragraph  may 
be  found : 

"  By  the  Illinois  river  it  is  probable  that  Buf- 
falo, in  New  York,  may  be  united  with  New  Or- 
leans by  inland  navigation,  through  Lakes  Erie, 
Huron  and  Michigan,  and  down  that  river  to  the 
Mississippi.  What  a  route!  How  stupendous 
the  idea !  How  dwindles  the  importance  of  the 
artificial  canals  of  Europe  compared  to  this  water 
communication.  If  it  should  ever  take  place — 
and  it  is  said  the  opening  may  be  easily  made — 
the  Territory  (of  Illinois)  will  become  the  seat  of 
an  immense  commerce,  and  a  market  for  the 
commodities  of  all  regions." 

How  strange  to  us  appear  some  of  the  expres- 
sions in  this  paragraph.  Then,  all  west  of  Ohio 
was  an  unbroken  wilderness,  inhabited  only  by 
savages,  with  here  and  there  a  fort  or  trading 
post,  and  a  few  small  French  settlements  along 
the  Mississippi.  Little  did  the  writer  think  that 
in  onlv  thirty-four  years  his  "  stupendous  idea" 
would  become  a  common-place  reality,  and  that 
in  less  than  forty  years  a  city  of  more  than  sixty 
thousand  people  would  be  reposing  in  quiet  dig- 
nity at  the  northern  terminus  of  that  canal! 
What  an  "  immense  commerce"  that  city  has  en- 
joyed the  past  year,  the  sequel  of  this  article  is 
designed  to  show. 

At  the  first  session  of  th«  Illinois  Legislature 
in  1818,  Gov.  Bond  brought  the  subject  of  a 
canal  from  Lake  Michigan  to  the  Illinois  river 
prominently  before  that  body,  and  his  successor, 
Gov.  Coles,  in  1822  devoted  a  large  space  in  his 
message  to  the  elucidation  of  the  same  topic. 
By  an  act  passed  February  14th,  1823,  a  Board 
of  Canal  Commissioners  was  appointed,  and  m 
the  autumn  of  that  year  a  portion  of  the  Board, 
with  Col.  J.  Post,  of  Missouri,  as  Chief  Engineer, 
made  a  tour  of  reccnnoisanee,  and  in  the  autumn 
of  1824  Col.  R.  Paul,  an  able  engineer,  residing 
at  St.  Louis,  was  also  employed.  Five  different 
routes  were  surveyed,  and  estimates  made  of  the 
cost  of  the  canal.  The  highest  estimate  was 
$716,110. 


At  this  time,  1823,  only  thirty-one  years  ago, 
the  Sangamon  river  and  Fulton  county  were  the 
northern  boundaries  of  civilization,  and  in  that 
region  there  were  only  a  very  few  inhabitants. 
The  whole  northern  portion  of  the  State  was 
still  under  the  dominion  of  the  wolf  and  the  sav- 
age, with  no  prospect  of  its  settlement  for  an 
indefinite  time  to  come.  The  leading  idea  of  the 
citizens  of  the  south  half  of  the  State,  where  the 
population  was  then  concentrated,  was  to  open  a 
water  communication  for  them  by  the  Lakes  and 
the  Erie  Canal  with  New  York  city. 

On  January  18th,  1825,  an  act  was  passed  to 
"incorporate  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal 
Company,  with  a  capital  of  $1,000,000.  As  the 
stock  was  not  taken,  a  subsequent  Legislature 
repealed  the  charter.  In  the  meantime,  our 
Senators  and  Representatives  in  Congress  were 
urging  upon  that  body  the  passage  of  an  act 
granting  to  this  State  lands  to  aid  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  proposed  canal.  The  Hon.  Dan- 
iel P.  Cook,  from  whom  this  county  is  named, 
has  the  credit  of  leading  in  this  movement.  Ac- 
cordingly, on  the  2d  of  March,  1827,  Congress 
granted  to  the  State  of  Illinois  every  alternate 
section  in  a  belt  of  country  extending  six  miles 
on  each  side  of  the  canal.  Owing  to  financial 
embarrassment,  nothing  effectual  was  done  till 
January  22d,  1829,  when  the  Legislature  passed 
a  law  organizing  a  Canal  Board,  and  appointed 
Dr.  Jayne,  of  Springfield,  Edmund  Roberts,  of 
Kaskaskia,  and  Charles  Dunn,  Commissioners. 
These  Commissioners  were  empowered,  among 
other  things,  to  locate  the  canal,  lay  out  towns, 
to  sell  lots,  and  to  apply  the  proceeds  to  the  con- 
struction of  the  canal. 

In  the  autumn  of  1 829  the  Commissioners  came 
to  Chicago,  having  employed  James  Thompson 
to  survey  and  lay  off  the  town.  His  first  map 
bears  date  August  4th,  1830.  It  is  in  the  Re- 
corder's office. 

Hon.  S.  D.  Lockwood,  now  a  resident  of  Ba- 
tavia,  Kane  county,  came  up  with  the  Commis- 
sioners in  the  autumn  of  1829.  We  are  indebted 
to  him  and  to  Wm.  H.  Brown,  Esq.,  for  much 
valuable  information  hi  reference  to  the  early 
history  of  the  State.  Both  these  gentlemen  are 
among  the  oldest  citizens  in  Illinois,  as  they 
landed  at  Shawneetown  in  1818,  the  same  year 
the  Constitution  was  adopted.  We  have  the  men 
among  us  who  have  seen  the  State  in  her  in- 
fancy, and  now  look  upon  her  with  pride,  assum- 
ing a  commanding  position  among  the  oldest 
States  of  the  Union. 

The  list  of  families  residing  here  in  the  autumn 
of  1829,  as  given  by  Judge  Lockwood,  is  as  fol- 


24 


lows :  John  Kinzie,  the  father  of  our  present 
excellent  Alderman,  John  H.  Kinzie,  resided  on 
the  north  side,  a  little  west  of  McCormick's  fac- 
tory. West  of  Mr.  Kinzie's,  near  the  site  of  the 
Galena  Railroad's  freight  depot,  east  of  Clarke 
street,  lived  Dr.  Wolcott,  son-in-law  of  Mr.  Kiu- 
zie ;  Dr.  Wolcott  was,  at  the  time,  Indian  Agent. 
Near  the  forks  of  the  river,  a  little  west  of  where 
Steele's  warehouse  now  stands,  John  Miller  kept 
a  "log  tavern."  On  the  south  side,  near  the 
present  residence  of  James  H.  Collins,  Esq ,  a 
little  south  of  the  old  fort,  was  the  house  of  John 
B.  Beaubien.  Besides  these,  there  were  some 
three  or  four  Indian  traders  living  in  log  cabins 
on  the  west  side. 

There  were,  of  course,  the  officers  and  men 
connected  with  Fort  Dearborn.  Perhaps  we  may 
as  well  pause  here  and  notice  the  building  of  the 
fort,  and  some  other  facts  connected  with  our 
earlier  history.  It  was  built  by  1  he  Government 
in  1801,  and  manned  with  a  company  of  about 
fifty  men  and  three  pieces  of  artillery.  Every- 
thing remained  quiet  till  1812,  when  the  war 
broke  out  with  Great  Britain,  and  our  Govern- 
ment, apprehensive  that  so  distant  a  post  among 
the  savages  could  not  be  maintained,  ordered  it 
to  be  evacuated.  The  commander  was  required 
to  distribute  the  government  property  among 
the  Indians,  and  to  march  with  his  troops  to  Fort 
Wayne. 

The  fort  was  at  that  time  well  supplied  with 
provisions  and  military  stores,  and  might  have 
maintained  a  siege  for  a  long  time  against  any 
force  that  the  Indians  could  have  brought  against 
it ;  and  nearly  all  the  officers  remonstrated  against 
carrying  out  the  instructions ;  but  Capt.  Heald 
determined  to  obey  to  the  letter  the  orders  of  his 
superiors.  The  Pottawatomies  were  well  known 
to  be  hostile,  but  Capt.  Heald  called  a  council  on 
the  12th  of  August,  1812,  and  laid  the  proposi- 
tions of  the  Government  before  them,  asking,  in 
return,  an  escort  to  Fort  Wayne.  This  the  In- 
dians promised  to  give.  The  distribution  was  to 
be  made  the  next  day.  During  the  night,  lest 
the  guns  and  ammunition  which  they  would  ne- 
cessarily be  forced  to  leave,  might  prove  a  dan- 
gerous gift  to  the  savages,  the  powder  was  thrown 
into  the  well,  and  the  guns  were  broken  and  de- 
stroyed. The  liquor  shared  the  same  fate.  The 
cannon  were  thrown  into  the  river. 

The  next  day  the  Indians  came  together  to 
receive  the  presents,  but  their  countenances 
betokened  anger  and  deep-seated  revenge  when 
only  the  goods  of  the  United  States  factory  were 
distributed  among  them.  They  charged  the 
whites  with  bad  faith,  and  left  with  feelings 


aroused  to  the  highest  pitch  of  resentment.  In 
the  afternoon  Capt.  Wells,  the  brother  of  Mrs. 
Ileald,  arrived  from  Fort  Wayne  with  fifteen 
friendly  Miami  Indians,  to  act  as  a  guard  in  the 
retreat  that  was  to  follow.  On  the  morning  of 
the  15th  of  August  the  troops  took  up  their  line 
of  march  for  Fort  Wayne.  Capt.  Wells,  with  the 
friendly  Miamis,  acted  as  the  advance  guard ; 
and  a  band  of  Pottawatomies,  according  to  the 
stipulations  made  three  days  previous,  followed 
at  a  short  distance  in  the  rear.  They  h;id  pro- 
ceeded in  this  order  along  the  Lake  shore  about 
a  mile  and  a  half,  to  a  point  near  the  residence 
of  Mrs.  Clarke,  when  they  were  suddenly  attacked 
by  a  party  of  Pottawatomies,  who  lay  in  ambush 
behind  the  sand  hills,  upon  the  right  of  their  line 
of  march.  Capt.  Heald  immediately  ordered  his 
men  to  form  and  charge  the  enemy,  which  move- 
ment was  scarcely  effected  before  they  received 
a  volley  of  balls  from  their  savage  foe.  The  troops 
did  not  flinch  for  a  moment,  but  charged  and 
dislodged  the  Indians  in  front ;  but  their  great 
numbers  enabled -them  at  once  to  turn  the  flanks 
of  the  troops,  and  to  gain  possession  of  the 
horses  and  baggage.  At  the  first  fire  the  Miamis 
galloped  off,  and  could  not  be  induced  to  join  in 
the  action.  Capt.  Heald,  corfident  that  further 
resistance  was  entirely  vain,  withdrew  his  troops 
to  a  small  elevation,  and  awaited  the  movements 
of  the  enemy.  They  held  a  council,  and  sooa 
their  chiefs,  of  whom  Black  Patridge  was  the 
leader,  motioned  Capt.  Heald  to  approach.  They 
met,  and  Capt.  Heald  agreed  to  surrender,  on 
condition  that  the  lives  of  the  prisoners  should 
be  spared.  The  troops  delivered  up  their  arms, 
and  were  marched  back  to  the  fort.  The  loss  in 
the  action,  and  in  the  subsequent  massacre — for 
the  Indians  did  not  fully  comply  with  their  agree- 
ment— was  twenty-six  of  the  regular  troops, 
twelve — being  the  entire  number  of  the  militia — 
two  women  and  twelve  children — in  all  fifty-two. 
The  children  were  placed  in  a  baggage  wagon, 
and  fell  victims  to  the  tomahawk  of  a  single  mer- 
ciless savage,  after  the  troops  had  surrendered. 
Capt.  Wells  was  among  the  slain.  Capt.  Heald 
and  his  wife  were  also  wounded,  as  also  were 
Lieut,  and  Mrs.  Helm. 

The  next  day  the  fort  was  plundered  and  burnt, 
and  the  prisoners  were  distributed  in  vaiious  di- 
rections. The  family  of  Mr.  Kinzie  were  taken 
across  to  St.  Joseph  in  a  Mackinaw  boat,  and 
subsequently  to  Detroit.  In  due  time  the  pris- 
oners were  ransomed,  and 'found  their  way  to 
their  Eastern  friends.  No  effort  was  made  to  re- 
establish the  fort  during  the  war.  In  1816  it 
was  rebuilt  under  the  direction  of  Capt.  Bradley. 


25 


It  continued  to  be  occupied  by  a  company  of 
troops  till  1837,  when,  the  Indians  having  left 
the  country  for  a  long  distance  west  of  us,  it  was 
abandoned.  On  a  part  of  the  grounds  of  the  fort 
our  mug  lificcnt  Marine  Hospital  now  stands.  The 
buildirgs  occupied  by  the  officers  are  most  of 
them  standing.  To  us  the  ebject  of  greatest 
interest  is  the  old  block  house,  and  we  wish  here 
to  put  ia  an  earnest  plea  that  it  may  be  preserved 
as  long  as  one  log  will  "  lie  upon  the  other."  It- 
is  about  the  ouly  relic  of  "  hoary  antiquity"  in 
our  city  worth  preserving.  It  was  built  thirty- 
eight  years  ago,  when  the  whole  country  was 
filled  with  savages.  Let  it  be  surrounded  with 
a  neat  iron  fence,  that  we  may  be  able  to  illus- 
trate to  our  children  the  nature  of  the  defences 
which  the  early  settlers  of  Chicago  were  obliged 
to  adopt.  Let  the  giant  arm  of  modern  improve- 
ment, if  necessary,  sweep  away  every  other  vest- 
ige of  Fort  Dearborn,  but  let  the  shrill  scream  of 
the  locomotive,  as  it  brings  up  its  long  train  of 
cars  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  or  rests  from  its 
labors  after  the  mighty  race  of  a  thousand  miles 
from  the  Atlantic  seaboard,  age  after  age,  echo 
around  this  humble,  but  significant  monument  of 
the  past. 

Our  "  oldest  inhabitant,"  at  least  in  one  view 
of  the  subject,  is  our  excellent  fellow  citizen,  Al- 
derman John  H.  Kinzie.  He  was  born  in  Can- 
ada, nearly  opposite  Detroit,  and  when  an  infant 
only  a  few  months  old,  was  brought  to  this  city 
by  his  pareuta  in  1804.  He  is  a  son  of  John 
Xinzie,  mentioned  above  as  an  Indian  trader. 
Mr.  Kinzie  settled  here  in  that  capacity  in  1804, 
when  the  fort  was  first  built.  Our  fellow  citizen, 
Gurdon  S.  Hubbard,  Esq.,  came  here  in  1818, 
and  was  then  in  the  employ  of  the  American  Fur 
Company,  at  the  head  of  which  was  John  Jacob 
Astor.  He  frequently  was  in  the  town  for  sev- 
eral days  or  weeks  at  a  time,  but  neither  Mr. 
Kinzie  nor  Mr.  Hubbard  were  settled  here  per- 
manently till  1833  or  1834.  Mr.  Kinzie  spent 
his  boyhood  here,  but  was  afterward  located  at 
Mackinaw  and  on  the  Upper  Mississippi  for  many 
years. 

Our  oldest  permanent  resident  in  the  city  is 
Col.  R  J.  Hamilton.  In  this  view  of  the  case, 
he  is  certainly  entitled  to  the  honor  of  being  the 
"  OLDEST  INHABITANT."  He  came  here  April  9th, 
1831,  and  this  has  been  his  hmne  ever  since.  G. 
W.  Dole,  Esq.,  camo  here  May  4th,  1831,  and 
P.  F.  W.  Peck,  Esq.,  July  15th  of  the  same  year. 
But  though  not  lining  in  the  city  limits,  A.  Cly- 
bourne,  Esq.,  has  been  identified  with  it,  or 
;ather  with  the  place  that  became  Chicago,  since 
August  5th,  1823.  He  has  resided  since  that 


time  on  the  west  side  of  the  North  Branch,  about 
three  miles  from  Lake  street  bridge.  The  city 
limits  extend  north  of  his  residence  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river.  We  have  given  the  dates  when 
each  of  these  gentlemen  came  to  Chicago,  and 
some  of  the  circumstances  connected  with  the 
claims  of  each  to  the  important  distinction  of 
being  the  "  oldest  inhabitant,"  and  here  we  leave 
the  decision  to  our  readers,  satisfied  that  neither 
of  them  would  have  dared  to  predict  even  ten 
years  ago  what  Chicago  would  be  in  the  year 
1854. 

So  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  learn,  the 
"oldest  inhabitant"  born  in  Chicago,  and  now 
living  here,  is  a  lady — we  beg  pardon  for  saying 
it — she  is  an  unmarried  lady.  Be  not  amazed, 
ye  spruce  anxious  bachelors,  and  if  you  can 
count  your  gray  hairs  by  scores,  stand  aside,  for 
we  are  quite  sure  there  is  no  chance  for  you. 
She  is  not  only  an  unmarried  lady,  but  a  YOUNG 
LADY,  only  twenty-two  years  of  age,  as  she  was 
born  in  Fort  Dearborn  in  the  eaily  part  of  1832. 
We  have  not  the  pleasure  of  her  acquaintance, 
and  at  the  peril  of  incurring  her  displeasure,  we 
venture  to  state  that  the  "  oldest  native  inhab- 
itant" of  Chicago,  a  city  of  more  than  60,000 
people,  is  Miss  Ellen  Hamilton,  the  daughter  of 
pur  good  friend,  Col.  R.  J.  Hamilton. 

In  1818,  when  Gurdon  S.  Hubbard,  Esq.,  came 
to  Chicago,  there  were  but  two  white  families 
here.  John  Kinzie  lived  on  the  north  side,  a 
little  west  of  where  McCormick's  factory  now 
stands.  Antoine  Oulimette,  a  French  trader,  who 
had  married  an  Indian  woman,  lived  near  the 
ground  occupied  by  the  Lake  House.  The  fort 
was  occupied  by  a  detachment  of  troops  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Bradley.  The  Amer- 
ican Fur  Company  had  trading  posts  at  conve- 
nient distances  all  through  this  country.  At  that 
time  only  a  single  schooner  of  30  or  40  tons  was 
sent  round  from  Buffalo  with  provisions  for  the 
fort,  during  the  summer  season. 

In  the  fall  of  1828  the  Winnebagoes,  who  in- 
habited the  territory  west  of  us,  became  restless, 
and  threatened  the  destruction  of  the  fort.  Our 
fellow  citizen,  Gurdon  S.  Hubbard,  Esq.,  went 
alone  on  horseback  to  the  settlements  on  the 
Wabash,  and  procured  reinforcements.  He  was 
absent  only  seven  days.  The  Indians  were  paci- 
fied by  the  presence  of  a  large  force  under  Gen. 
Atkinson,  and  very  little  mischief  was  done,  be- 
j-ond  the  murder  of  a  few  travelers. 

Col.  R.  J.  Hamilton  came  to  this  city  as  above 
stated  in  April,  1831.  Cook  county  had  been 
organized  the  month  previous.  He  soon  ob- 
tained a  high  position  among  his  fellow  citizens, 


26 


and  at  that  time,  young  and  full  of  energy  and 
vigor,  and  not  the  the  man  to  shrink  from  re- 
sponsibility, we  wonder  that  he  was  not  crushed 
with  the  weight  of  the  "blushing  honors"  that 
fell  to  his  share  of  the  spoils  in  the  new  county 
of  Cook.  In  the  course  of  the  year,  he  became 
Judge  of  Probate,  Recorder,  County  Clerk; 
discharged  gratuitously  thedutiesof  Treasurer, 
and  was  Commissioner  of  Schools.  The  good 
Colonel  would  find  his  hands  full  were  he  to 
fulfil  the  duties  of  all  these  offices  at  the  present 
time.  We  have  availed  ourselves  of  his  early 
and  accurate  knowledge  of  events  for  most  of 
the  facts  which  are  contained  in  some  half  doz- 
en of  the  succeeding  paragraphs. 

The  county  of  Cook,  in  1831,  embraced  all 
the  territories  now  included  in  the  counties  of 
Lake,  McHenry,  Dupage,  Will,  and  Iroquois. 
At  that  time  Fort  Dearborn  was  occupied  by 
two  companies  of  U.  S.  Infantry,  under  the 
command  of  Major  Fowle.  The  resident  citi- 
zens were  Mr.  Elijah  Wentworth  and  family, 
occupying  a  house  partly  log  and  partly  frame, 
owned  by  Mr.  James  Kinzie,  and  situated  on 
the  ground  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Norton  as  a 
lumber  yard.  Mr.  W.  kept  a  tavern,  the  best 
in  Chicago.  In  the  vicinity  of  this  tavern  re- 
sided Mr.  James  Kinzie  and  family,  Mr.  Wil- 
liam See  and  family,  Mr.  Alexander  Robinson 
and  family — now  living  on  the  Des  Plaines — 
and  Mr,  Robt.  A.  Kinzie,  who  had  a  store  com- 
posed of  dry  goods — a  large  portion  of  them 
Indian  goods — groceries,  <fec.,  <fec.  Across  the 
North  Branch  of  the  Chicago  river,  and  nearly 
opposite  Mr.  Wentworth's  tavern,  resided  Mr. 
Samuel  Miller  and  family,  and  with  them  Mr. 
John  Miller,  a  brother.  Mr.  Miller  also  kept 
tavern.  On  the  east  side  of  the  South  Branch 
and  immediately  above  the  junction  with  the 
North  Branch,  resided  Mr.  Mark  Beaubien  and 
family,  who  also  kept  tavern ;  and  a  short  dis- 
tance above  him  on  the  South  Branch  resided  a 
Mr.  Bourisso,  an  Indian  trader.  Between  Mark 
Beaubien's  tavern  and  Fort  Dearbon,  there 
were  no  houses,  except  a  small  log  cabin,  near 
the  foot  of  Dearbon  street,  and  used  as  an  In- 
dian trading  house.  Near  the  garrison  and  im- 
mediately south,  on  the  property  sold  by  James 
H.  Collins,  Esq.,  to  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
Company,  was  the  residence  of  J.  B.  Bubien 
and  family,  who  was  connected  with  the  Ameri- 
can Fur  Company  in  the  Indian  trade.  He  had 
near  his  residence  a  store,  containing  such  goods 
as  were  suitable  to  that  business.  A  short  dis- 
tance south  of  him  on  the  lake  was  a  house, 
then  unoccupied. 


On  the  north  side  of  the  river  and  immedi- 
ately opposite  the  garrison,  stood  the  old 
"Kinzie  House,"  as  it  was  commonly  called, 
which  was  also  then  unoccupied,  and  in  a  very 
dilapidated  state.  A  short  distance  above  on 
the  main  branch  of  the  river,  and  on  the  ground 
occupied  by  the  Chicago  and  Galena  Railroad 
Company,  stood  what  had  been  the  Govern- 
ment Agency  house,  and  known  to  the  "oldest 
inhabitant"  as  "Cobweb  Castle."  That  was 
then  unoccupied,  Dr.  Wolcott,  the  Government 
Agent,  having  died  the  fall  before.  In  its  vi- 
cinity were  several  small  log  buildings  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  blacksmith,  Interpreter, 
and  others  connected  with  the  Agency.  The 
blacksmith  then  occupying  one  of  the  build- 
ings, was  a  Mr.  McGee,  now  living  in  Dupage 
county.  Billy  Caldwell,  the  principal  chief  of 
the  Ottawa,  Pottawatomie  and  Chippewa  Indi- 
ans, occupied  another.  He  was  then  Interpre- 
ter for  the  Agency.  Col.  Thomas  J.  V.  Owen, 
who  had  been  the  winter  before  appointed  to 
succeed  the  late  Dr.  Wolcott,  had  not  then  tak- 
en up  his  residence  in  Chicago ;  G.  Kereheval, 
who  was  then  sub-Agent,  was  then  here.  Dr. 
E.  Harmon,  the  father  of  C.  L.  Harmon,  and 
James  Harrington  of  Geneva,  Kane  county,  had 
taken  up  their  residence  here,  and  were  making 
claims  on  the  lake  shore — Dr.  Harmon  where 
Mrs.  Clarke  now  lives,  and  Mr.  H.  immediately 
north  and  adjoining. 

Here  we  have  some  dozen  families  in  the 
spring  of  1831 — only  TWENTY-THREE  TEARS 
AGO — constituting,  with  the  officers  and  sol- 
diers in  the  fort,  the  entire  population  of  Chi- 
cago. Now  the  city  numbers  more  than  sixty 
thousand,  and  its  blocks  of  splendid  stores,  its 
fine  churches,  its  railroads,  and  extensive  com- 
merce, are  the  wonder  and  admiration  of  all. 
We  have  never  spent  much  time  in  reading 
works  of  fiction,  but  if  there  is  any  thing  in 
that  dreamy  literature  more  astonishing  than 
these  facts,  we  certainly  have  never  seen  it. 

In  June  following  the  garrison,  by  order  of 
the  Secretary  of  War,  was  abandoned  by  the 
troops,  and  left  in  charge  of  Col.  T.  J.  V.  Owen, 
the  Government  Agent  of  the  Ottawa,  Potta- 
watomie, and  Chippewa  Indians :  and  by  Sep- 
tember, the  fort,  together  with  the  old  Kinzie 
House  and  the  one  on  the  lake  shore,  (formerly 
vacant)  were  filled  with  emigrant  families.  In 
the  latter  part  of  September,  the  payment  of 
the  Indian  annuities  was  made  by  Col.  Owen. 
There  were  present  on  that  occasion  about  four 
thousand  Indians,  and  among  them  was  a  de- 
putation of  eight  Sauk  and  Fox  Indians  belong- 


ing  to  the, band  of  the  celebrated  BLACK  HAWK. 
Their  object  was  to  induce  the  Ottawas,  Potta- 
watomies  and  Chippewas,  to  join  them  in  their 
contemplated  invasion  of  the  Rock  River  coun- 
try and  to  wrest  it  from  the  whites,  who  they 
alleged  had  obtaircd  it  fraudulently.  Had  it 
not  been  for  the  influence  of  Billy  Cakhvell 
little  doubt  was  entertained  of  the  success  of 
the  mission.  Caldwell  was  well  advised  of  the 
weakness  of  the  Indians,  and  the  strength  of 
the  Government,  and  by  his  influence  and  rep- 
resentations, prevented  the  alliance.  After  the 
payment,  a  scene  of  drunkenness,  debauchery 
and  violence  occurred,  such  as  is  never  witness- 
ed, except  at  an  Indian  payment 

During  the  fall,  in  the  monfh  of  November, 
the  schooner  Marengo.  belonging  to  Oliver 
Newbury  of  Detroit,  arrived.  She  had  been 
looked  for  with  much  anxiety  for  some  weeks. 
She  encountered  a  heavy  gale  on  Lake  Michi- 
gan, which  was  just  subsiding  on  her  arrival — 
There  being  no  harbor,  she  anchored  out  in  the 
lake,  more  than  half  a  mile  from  the  shore, 
nearly  in  front  of  the  fort,  where  she  remained 
until  the  lake  had  become  sufficiently  calm  to 
unload.  This  could  only  be  done  by  the  aid 
of  snull  boats,  crossing  the  bar  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river  which  then  emptied  into  the  lake 
near  the  foot  of  Randolph  street.  The  "Ma- 
rengo" was  commanded  by  Captain  Stewart, 
a  veteran  sailor  who  had  long  been  in  the  em- 
ployment of  Mr.  Newbury.  The  Telegraph, 
which  arrived  in  July,  and  the  Marengo  were 
the  ouly  arrivals  during  the  season,  except  the 
one  that  transported  the  troops  to  Green  Bay. 
The  principal  part  of  the  population  of  Chicago 
during  the  winter  of  1831-2  occupied  the  quar- 
ters in  the  garrison,  and  were  ministered  to,  in 
the  way  of  creature  comforts,  by  our  estimable 
citizen,  Geo.  W.  Dole,  who  was  the  only  mer- 
chant then  in  Chicago,  except  Mr.  R.  A.  Kinzie 
at  "  Wolf  Point,"  which  was  the  name  given  to 
the  "settlement"  at  the  junction  of  the  North  and 
South  Branches,  where  Mr.  Norton's  lumber 
yard  is  now  located. 

The  winter  was  long  and  intensely  cold,  and 
the  population  of  the  surrounding  country  so 
sparse,  that  no  traveller  could  be  found  suffi- 
ciently reckless  to  traverse  it.  There  were 
then  no  mail  routes,  post  roads  nor  Post  Offices, 
at  Chicago,  and  the  only  means  its  inhabitants 
had  of  knowing  any  thing  of  the  world  was  by 
sending  a  half- breed  Indian  once  in  two  weeks 
to  Niles,  in  Michigan,  to  procure  all  the  papers, 
both  old  and  new,  that  could  be  had,  "Great 
caution,"  says  Col.  Hamilton,  "was  exercised 
in  reading  the  old  first-,  that  we  might  be  pro- 


perly advised  of  events  in  the  world  as  they  oc- 
curred. The  trip  was  made  on  foot,  and  usual- 
ly occupied  a  week.  The  arrival  of  "the  mail" 
was  an  event  of  quite  as  much  interest  then  a.s 
it  is  now ;  but  notwithstanding  our  exclusion 
from  the  world,  we  were  not  unhappy,  and 
doubtless  enjoyed  ourselves  as  well  as  its  in- 
habitants now  do." 

"A  debating  society  was  formed,  composed 
of  most  of  the  male  inhabitants  of  the  fort, 
over  which  presided  our  venerable  fellow-citi- 
zen, J.  B.  Bubien,  and  with  much  efficiency 
and  dignity.  Although  not  very  conversant 
with  'Jefferson's  Manuel,'  he  had  no  occasion 
to  use  it,  as  every  member  was  disposed  to  be 
orderly  and  behave  himself ;  and  each  and  all 
felt  bound  to  contribute  as  much  as  possible  to 
the  general  sum  of  knowledge  and  usefulness. 
To  vary  the  amusement,  a  dance  was  occasion- 
ally got  up  at  the  house  of  Mark  Beaubien, 
Esq.,  and  for  those  who  had  no  taste  for  such 
amusement,  a  religious  meeting  was  held  gen- 
erally once  a  week  in  the  fort,  by  the  late  Mark 
Noble,  Jr.,  and  his  wife  and  two  daughter^' 
and  Mrs.  R.  J.  Hamilton,  who  were  all  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church." 

These  early  meetings  had  a  most  happy  ef- 
fect npon  all  within  their  influence.  Mrs.  R.  J. 
Hamilton,  first  wife  of  Col.  H.,  contributed 
very  much  to'their  interest,- as  she  was  a  lady 
of  great  intelligence,  eidarged  views,  and  de- 
voted piety.  She  was  for  many  years  among 
the  first  in  all  religious  and  benevolent  enter- 
prises. 

Col.  Hamilton  pays  a  just  tribute  to  the  zeal 
and  piety  of  Mr.  Noble.  He  was  the  principal 
speaker  at  all  these  meetings,  and  his  exertions 
in  the  cause  of  truth  were  greatly  blessed.  He 
was  a  man  of  practical  common  sense,  and  large 
experience,  and  was  fitted  for  a  "standard 
bearer"  on  the  borders  of  civilization.  It  will 
be  seen  that  the  Methodists  were  here  as  almost 
every  where  the  pioneers  in  Christianity.  They 
did  not,  however,  establish  the  first  church,  as 
will  be  seen  further  on  in  our  sketches. 

Thus  passed  the  winter  of  1831-2.  On  the 
approach  of  spring,  it  was  announced  that 
"Black  Hawk,"  a  Sauk  chief,  was  moving  up 
Rock  river,  with  about  five  hundred  Sauk  and 
Fox  Indians,  with  demonstrations  of  a  hostile4 
character,  unless  he  could  be  permitted  to  re- 
main on  the  lands  formerly  ceded  to  the  United 
States.  The  ru  ruor  was  confirmed  by  the  ar- 
rival of  the  Hon.  Richard  M.  Young,  at  Fort 
Dearborn,  who  was  then  one  of  the  Circuit 
Judges  of  the  State,  and  within  whose  judicinl 
Dibtaict  Chicago  was  at  that  time.  Judgo 


28 


Young  was  accompanied  by  Benjamin  Mills, 
Esq.,  tl.ei;  a  leading  member  of  the  Illinois  bar, 
and  01  r  l:ite  fellow-citizen  Col.  Strode, :ill  from 
Galena.  Tliey  had  come  by  the  way  of  Dixou, 
and  from  the  conduct  of  the  Indians  assembled 
there,  w.-re-  convinced  of  their  hostile  inteii- 
tions.  Before  the  adjournment  of  the  court 
Mther  Intel. igciice  arrived  confirmatory  of  these 
statement?.  The  Indians  Continued  to  move  up 
Rockr've-  until  they  arrived  at  the  Kishwaukie, 
a  tribuiTiry  of  Hock  river,  where  they  made  a 
halt  An  expedition  was  organized  under  the 
command  of  Major  Stillman  of  Pcoria,  from 
the  counties  of  Tazwell  and  Peoria,  principally 
with  the  object  as  then  understood  to  watch 
the  movements  of  the  Indians  and  protect  the 
few  settlements  on  the  exirme  frontier  from 
their  depredations ;  but  with  the  further  under- 
standing, that  they  were  not  to  strike  the  first 
blow.  They  proceeded  up  hock  river  until 
within  a  few  miles  of  the  Indian  encampment, 
and  by  some  wautof  discipline  and  caution,  an 
action  was  brought  on  against  a  portion  of  the 
Indians,  which  resulted  in  a  disastrous  defeat 
and  total  route  of  the  whole  of  Major  Stillman's 
force.  Almost  immediately  after  the  defeat  of 
Major  Stillman,  the  Indians  in  bands,  made  a 
descent  on  the  settlements  on  Fox  river,  at  Hol- 
lenback's  and  Holdermau's  Grove,  and  at  other 
points  on  the  river  where  there  were  settle- 
ments, burning  the  houses  and  destroying  the 
property,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  friendly 
interposition  ;>r\d  warnings  of  Sha  bo-nee,  an 
Ottawa  chief,  who,  till  within  a  few  years,  lived 
at  Shabbona's  Grove,  many  of  the  people  must 
have  been  massacred.  Some  barely  escaped, 
being  sufficiently  near  to  witness  the  smoke 
ascending  from  their  burning  houses — what  few 
inhabitants  were  in  the  surrounding  country 
made  their  way  to  Chicago  to  seek  ^safety  in 
Fort  Dearborn,  and  by  the  1  Oth 'of  May  the 
Fort  contained  a  population  of  neair  seven  hun- 
dred s»ul?,  two-thirds  of  whom  were  women 
and  children.  This  great  disproportion  of  wo- 
men and  children  was  occased  by  the  male 
heads  of  families  taking  their  provisions  and 
watever  else  they  could  muster  to  drive  their 
stock  into  the  settled  parts  of  the  country, 
mostly  OTI  the  Wabash.  Col.  Owen,  the  Gov- 
ernment agent,  was'thtn  in  charge  of  the  Fort, 
aud  no  <  ffr.rt  on  his  part  was  spared  to  accom- 
modate all  iV.at  came.  He  had  himself  a  large 
family  and  occupied  the  commander's  quarters, 
but  he  confined  himself  to  a  sing]^  room,  and 
gave  up  the  ro-.-t  to  those  who  came  in  from  the 
country.  Gholson  Kcrcheval  and  Col.  Hamil- 
ton were  appointed  quartermasters  to  arrange 


quarters  equitably  am<mg  the  poople,  and  in 
many  cases  fifteen  aud  twenty  occupied  a  room 
that  would  not  more  than  comfortably  accom- 
modate a  family  of  four  or  five  persons. 

Information  was  again  icceived  through 
"Billy  Caldwell,"  by  Col.  Owen,  that  the  hos- 
tile chiefs  were  tampering  with  the  Ottawa, 
Pottawatomie  and  Chippewa  Indians  belong. 
ing  to  his  agency,  aud  that  in  consequence  of 
the  success  in  the  right  at  Kish \vaukie,  many  of 
the  young  men  were  strongly  ironed  to  join 
them.  It  was  with  difficulty  tie  chiefs  could 
restrain  them.  A  consultation  was  had  with 
Messrs.  Robinson  and  Caldwell,  both  influential 
chiefs  among  the  Indians,  who  advised  an  im- 
mediate council  with  the  principal  chiefs  to- 
gether with  some  of  their  young  men, at  which 
Col.  Owen  was  to  address  them,  and  let  them 
know  distinctly  that  if  they  formed  any  alli- 
ance or  connection  with  Elack  Hawk,  or  furn  - 
ished  them  men  or  aid  of  any  kind,  the  Gov- 
ernment would  hold  them  to  a  strict  accounta- 
bility for  it,  and  would  punish  them  severely. 
The  council  was  held  at  or  near  the  place 
where  the  Rev.  Mr.- Richardson's  church  now 
stands,  in  the  North  Division  of  the  city.  There 
were  present  a  number  of  the  chiefs  of  the 
United  Nations,  including  Caldwell  and  Rob- 
inson, and  Col.  Owen,  and  U»l.  R.  J.  Hamilton 
on  the  part  of  the  Government.  The  council 
was  opened  by  a  few  remarks  from  Caldwell 
to  the  chiefs.  Blackfoot,  a  chief  of  considera- 
ble influence  and  power,  then  addressed  the 
council.  He  recounted  many  of  their  griev- 
ances, and  charged  the  government  with  gross 
injustice  toAvards  them,  and  concluded  by  re- 
marking  that  now  was  a  good  time  to  redress 
them.  His  speech  was  evidently  well  received 
by  the  young  men.  Col.  Owen  followed  him, 
an-!  his  boldness,  energy,  and  the  scathing  re- 
buke he  administered  to  Blackfoot  changed  the 
whole  current  of  feeling  against  the  chief.  The 
Indians  retired  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  re- 
turned presenting  their  hands  to  Col.  Owen, 
declaring  their  friendship  to  the  Government, 
and  offereng  to  furnish  a  hundred  braves  to 
to  inarch  against  Blackhawk,  if  desired.  Thus 
terminated  a  council,  small  and  insignificant  as 
it  may  now  sct-m  to  have  been,  yet  it  was  pro- 
ductive of  important  results.  To  the  unwaver- 
ing friendship  of  Caldwell.  and  the  bold,  ener- 
1  getic  conduct  of  Col.  Owen  before  the  council, 
i  the  inhabitants  of  Chicago  were  indebted  for 
their  safety  in  the  contort  wlrch  followed. 

Late  in  the  month  of  May,  18^2,  a  small 
force  consisting  of  twenty -five  men,  was  organ- 
ized in  the  fort  under  the  command  of  Capt. 


J.  B.  Brown,  with  Capt.  Joseph  Naper  and 
Col.  R.  J.  Hamilton,  for  the  purpose  of  securing 
the  frontier  on    Fox   river,  and   to  ascertain 
from  personal  observation  the  extent  of  the 
depredations  committed  on  the  property  of  the 
inhabitants.     It  was  also  intended  to  render 
aid  to  the  inhabitants  settled  on  the  Dupage 
River,  who  had  assembled  at  Mr,  James  Walk- 
er's, where  Plaintitid  now  stands,  and  erected 
a  small  fort  1'or  their  protection.    After  leaving 
the  fort  on  the  Dupage,  where  they  had  re- 
mained a  day,  rendering  such  assistance  as  was 
desired,  the  expedition  proceed  to  Holder  man's 
Grove.     The  Indians  had  but  recently  left  it 
after  having  destroyed  all  the  personal  proper- 
ty, found  in  the  house  and  around  the  premises 
and  scattered  the  fragments  about  the  yard. — 
The  provision  which  was  not  taken  away   was 
destroyed.    On  the  the  third  evening  after  their 
departure  from  Fort  Dearborn  the  company  eu- 
eamped  about  three  miles  from  Holderman's 
Grove  in  the  direction  of  Hollenback's  Grove 
on  Fox  river.    Some  time  before  daylight,  Mr. 
G.  E.  Walker,  of  Ottawa,  arrived  at  the  camp 
and  stated  that  a  man  had  arrived  at  that  place 
(Ottawa)  and  reported  that  considerable  firin 
had  been  heard  on  Indian  Creek,  about  fifteen 
miles  from  Ottawa,  at  the  residence  of  a  Mr. 
Davis,  where  the  families  of  Davis,  Hall  and 
Pettigrew,had  assembled  for  mutual  protection, 
and  in  a  short  time  afterwards  a  young  man,  a 
son  of  Mr.  Hall's,  arrived  and  continued  the 
statement.    He  also  stated  that  he  was  at  work 
in  the  field  about  a  mile  from  the  house,  hearc 
the  firing  and  saw  the  Indians.     Upon  receiving 
this    information,   Capt,   Brown    immediately 
marched  the  company,  with  all  possible  dis- 
patch, to   Indian   Creek  where  the  firing  hac 
been  heard.     Some  five  or  six,  a  part  of  whom 
had  joined  the  expedition  on  the  route,  leit  i 
and  returned  to  afford  protection  to  their  re 
spective  families.    The  company  arrived  at  Mr 
Davis'  residence  between  nine  and  ten  o'clock 
A.  M.     The  scene  there,  as  described  by  Co] 
Hamilton,  was  the  most  painful  that  could  wel 
be  imagined.     Some  thirteen  dead  bodies,  com 
posed  of  the  families  of  Davis,  Hall  and  Petti 
grew,  lay  in  the  house  and  about  the  yard,  con 
sisting  of  men,  women  and  children,  who  hac 
been  shot,  speared,  tomahawked,  scalped  anc 
mutilated   in  the  most  cruel  manner.     Davi 
was  a  blncksmith,and  apparently  a  very  ath 
Jetic  man.     At,  the   moment  of  the  attack  h 
was  in  his  shop,  and  started  for  the  house  aboi 
seventy-five  or  a  hundred  yards  distance,  fo 
the  purpose,  no  doubt,  of  assisting  to  protec 
the  families  there.    Ho  was  attacked  a  short 


istance  from  the  shop  and  from  every  indies  • 
on  a  severe  contest  ensued. 
By  his  side,  or  near  him,  lay  a  large  Kentucky 
fle,  which  had  been  fired,  and  afieiwarJ  used 
a  hand-to-hand  fight,  as  its  stock  was  much 
lattered,  and  its  breech  broken.     The  bodice 
ere  collected  and  buried  as  well  as  they  could 
;,  under  the  circumstances,  after  which  the  ex- 
edUion  went  to  Ottawa,  where  they  fell  in  with 
[ajor  Bailey,  with  a  company  from-  Tazewell 
ounty,  who  had  been  in  the  late  disastrous  Still- 
nan  expedition  against  the  Indians  at  Kishwau 
ie,  a  part  of  which,  together  with  Major  Bailey, 
oined  Captain  Brown.    The  whole  detachment 
roceedod  to  Chicago  under  the  command  of 
tfajor  Bailey.     Oa  the  route  to  Chicago  the  guide 
o  the  expedition,  a  half-breed  Indian,  imported 
t  several  points  large  fresh  Indian  signs.    Much 
olicitude  was  felt  for  the  families  at  Walker's, 
in  the  Dupage,  and  some  time  after  dark  a  man 
jy  the  nam3  of  Payne  was  hailed,  who  had  just 
;omc  alone  from  Chicago,  and  was  on  his  wav  to 
Ottawa     The  dangers  of  the  route  were  made 
IIOWTI  to  him,  and  efforts  were  made  to  retain 
lim  with  the  expedition.  He,  however,  announced 
limself  an  ambassador  of  God,  and  said  he  would 
be  safe  from  any  attack  by  the  Indians.     It  was 
vident  he  was  partially  insane,  and  he  could  not 
ie  induced  to  change  bis  purpose.     lie  had  a 
ong  flowing  beard,  and  yeneruble  appearance. 
He  was  probably  killed  the  same  day,  as  his  head 
was  found  two  weeks  afterward  stuck  on  a  pole 
n  the  prairie,  and  his  body  some  half  mile  dis- 
tant fioin  the  head.     Our  fellow  citizen,  Gurdon 

Hubbaid,  Esq.,  was  in  the  party  that  found 
him.  Major  Bailey  and  his  comm.-ind  encamped 
the  same  evening  at  the  fort  on  the  Dupage,  and 
started  early  the  next  morning  with  the  families 
in  the  fort,  and  all  their  movable  effects  lLat  could 
be  transported  in  ox  and  horse  teams,  and  arrived 
late  in  the  evening  at  Chicago,  after  an  absence 
of  ten  days.  The  fort  was  immediately  organ- 
ized as  a  military  post,  and  placed  uader  the 
command  of  Major  Bailey. 

Two  young  ladies,  by  the  name  of  Hall,  were 
captured  at  Indian  creek,  and  retained  for  some 
two  weeks,  when  they  were  given  up  by  a  party 
of  friendly  Indians  to  Governor  Dodge,  of  Wis- 
consin. They  were  treated  with  gnat  kindness 
and  respect  while  they  were  captives.  The  mas- 
sacre of  the  people  of  Indian  Creek  occurred  OB 
the  2 1st  of  May. 

In  the  meantime,  three  thousand  militia  were 
ordered  out  from  Peoria  and  the  counties  south 
of  it,  and  marched  to  Rock  Paver,  where  they 
were  joined  by  a  detachmeut  of  i  egular  troops 


30 


from  Fort  Armstrong,  under  General  Atkinson. 
A  party  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  militia,  under 
the  command  of  Major  Dement,  fell  in  with  a 
detachment  of  Indians,  commanded  by  Black 
Hawk  himself,  somewhere  between  Rock  River 
and  Galena.  An  action  ensued,  in  which  the 
Indians  were  routed.  The  main  army  continued 
to  move  up  Rock  River,  around  the  head  waters 
of  which  it  was  said  the  Indians  were  concen- 
trated. On  the  21st  of  July,  General  Henry, 
commanding  an  advanced  party  of  the  army, 
came  up  with  the  Indians  between  the  Blue 
Mounds  and  the  Wisconsin  River.  The  troops 
were  formed  into  a  hollow  square,  and  all  at- 
tempts to  break  the  line  by  the  savages  were  in 
vain.  A  general  charge  was  finally  made  by  the 
troops,  when  the  Indians  were  forced  to  retreat, 
with  the  loss  of  between  fifty  and  sixty  of  their 
aumber. 

The  Indians  continued  their  retreat  to  the 
northwest,  crossed  the  Wisconsin  River,  and 
moved  up  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi. 
About  fifty  miles  above  Prairie  du  Chien,  they 
were  again  overtaken  and  completely  routed,  with 
the  loss  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  warriors.  This 
victory  completely  broke  the  power  of  Black 
Hawk,  and  ended  the  war.  He  was  captured  by 
a  party  of  Winnebagoes,  and  delivered  up  to  the 
officers  of  the  United  States  at  Prairie  du  Chien, 
on  the  27th  of  August,  1832. 

Early  in  the  season  General  Scott  was  ordered 
to  leave  the  seaboard  and  gather  up  all  the  troops 
on  his  route  westward,  and  repair  to  Chicago. 
The  Indians  were  entirely  defeated  before  he  was 
uble  to  join  the  army. 

On  the  21st  of  September,  1832,  all  these 
difficulties  were  arranged  by  a  treaty  made  at 
Fort  Armstrong,  (Rock  Island,)  by  General  Scott 
and  Governor  Reynold*,  with  the  Sunk  and  Fox 
Indians,  by  which  they  relinquished  all  their 
claim  to  Eastern  Iowa,  and  agreed  to  move  west 
of  the  Missouri.  Annuities  were  to  be  paid  to 
the  several  bands,  and  a  reservation  of  forty  miles 
square  was  made  to  the  principal  Chief,  Keokuk, 
and  a  portion  of  his  followers. 

We  are  indebted  to  P.  F.  W.  Peek,  Esq.,  for 
the  facts  contained  in  several  of  the  succeeding 
paragraphs ; 

In  July,  A.  D.  1831,  the  schooner  Telegraph, 
of  Ashtabula,  Ohio,  Captain  Joseph  and  John 
Naper,  arrived  at  Chicago  with  a  number  of  fam- 
ilies, their  own  among  the  number,  who  soon 
after  left  and  settled  the  place  now  known  as 
Naperville.  The  village  took  its  name  from 
Captain  Joseph  Naper,  he  being  the  first  white 
settler  upon  its  present  pile. 


Mr.  Peck  left  New  York  city  in  the  month  of 
May  of  that  year,  (1831)  with  a  small  stock  of 
goods  for  a  " market"  having  previously  deter- 
mined upon  a  Western  Home.  Accidentally 
becoming  acquainted  with  Captain  Joseph  Naper, 
at  Buffalo,  at  which  place  the  schooner  was  then 
loading  for  "Fort  Dearborn,"  (Chicago)  that  gen- 
tleman, with  characteristic  frankness,  invited  Mr. 
Peck  to  embark  tvith  him  and  seek  a  home  in 
that  remote  region,  then  but  little  known,  where 
Capt.  N.  had  previously  determined  to  remove 
with  his  family.  Mr.  P.  readily  accepted,  and 
left  Buffalo  with  Capt.  N.  about  the  1st  of  June, 
A.  D.  1831,  and  arrived  at  Chicago  after  a  pass- 
age of  two  months  from  the  city  of  New  York. 

Probably  many  years  prior  to  this  arrival,  no 
structure  of  any  kind  had  been  added  to  the 
small  number  of  log  cabins  which,  with  the  build- 
ings of  the  garrison,  constituted  the  town  of  Chi- 
cago ;  aud  the  only  addition  to  its  growth  during 
that  year  was  a  small  log  store  for  Mr.  Peck, 
shortly  after  his  arrival,  and  which  he  owned  and 
occupied  until  late  in  the  fall  of  that  year.  It 
was  built  near  the  garrison,  a  few  rods  northwest 
of  the  land  on  which  Col.  Beaubien  formerly  re- 
sided, and  which  Jas.  H.  Collins,  Esq.,  recently 
sold  to  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company. 

It  was  after  some  deliberation  arid  advice,  that 
Mr.  P.  determined  to  locate  in  "  the  lower  vil- 
lage," instead  of  at  "the  Point,"  (west  side,^ 
which  latter  settlement  was  then,  he  thinks,  rather 
iu  the  ascendant.  Rival  feelings,  to  some  extent, 
existed  at  the  time  between  the  people  of  those 
localities,  both  contending  that  they  possessed 
superior  advantages  for  the  site  of  the  future  vil- 
lage of  Chicago. 

Shortly  before,  Mr.  Peck's  arrival,  the  Canal 
Commissioners  had  subdivided  into  town  lots  part 
of  Sec.  9,  (the  Old  Town)  and  given  titles  to  a 
few  of  the  lots  to  different  purchasers.  "Fort 
Dearborn "  (fractional  section  10)  was  rot  then 
subdivided,  and  much  uncertainly  existed  us  to 
the  time,  and  under  what  auspices  it  would  uki 
mately  be  done.  These  circumstances  very  much 
promoted  the  interests  of  land  owners  at  "  Wolf 

Point." 

Mr.  P.  £a}8  that  his  young  and  feitil  irnanina- 
tioti  presented  before  him  as  possible  to  be  built 
up  within  a  reasonable  time,  the  village  church, 
schoolhouse,  doctor's  and  lawyer's  office ;  a  tav- 
ern, more  fashionable  than  that  kept  by  "  Jolly 
Mark,"  a  blacksmith,  shoemaker,  and  tailor's 
shop,  and  a  few  painted  stores  and  dwellings ; 
and  that  his  newly  found  home  -would  become  a 
respectable  consolidated  village,  at  one  or  the 
other  of  these  two  extreme  settlement^  for  then 


no  intermediate  lots  were  considered  to  be  of 
much  importance. 

Late  in  the  fall  of  1831,  Mr.  Peck  received 
from  New  York,  via  the  Lakes,  a  stock  of  goods 
with  which,  and  the  small  stock  he  had  pre- 
viously in  trade,  he  removed  into  Naper's  settle- 
ment, and  united  in  business  with  Capt.  Joseph 
Naper,  and  remained  with  him  until  the  spring  of 
1832,  when  the  Sauk  war  drove  the  people  into 
Chicago. 

Mr.  Peck  has  ever  since  resided  in  Chicago, 
having  immediately  after  the  termination  of  In- 
dian hostilities  resumed  mercantile  business  in  a 
building  then  owned  by  S.  Miller,  Esq.,  North 
side,  at  the  junction  of  the  North  and  South 
branches,  which  for  several  previous  years  had 
been  occupied  by  Messrs.  Miller  &  Clyboume  as 
a  store  for  Indian  trade.  During  the  fall  of  1832, 
and  while  occupying  the  building  before  men- 
tioned, Mr.  P.  caused  to  be  raised  the  frame  of 
the  building  BOW  owned  by  him,  and  situated  on 
the  S.  E.  corner  of  South  Water  and  Lasalle 
streets,  which  was  finished  and  occupied  by  him 
early  in  May,  A.  D.  1833,  as  appears  by  vouchers 
for  its  payment  which  he  has  exhibited  to  us. 
It  is  built  of  black  walnut  and  oak  lumber.  The 
lumber  was  hauled  from  Walker's  mills — now 
Plainfield — forty  miles  southwest  from  Chicago, 
and  is  believed  to  have  been  the  first  lumber  ever 
sawed  in  Cook  county.  Plainfield  is  now  in  Will 
county. 

In  this  building  Mr.  Peck  continued  business 
until  the  fall  of  1835,  at  which  time  he  disposed 
of  his  entire  stock  in  trade  to  Thomas  Hartzell, 
Esq.,  then  of  Hennepin,  and  now  a  resident  of 


now  done  in  Chicago.  It  cannot  amount  to 
much  leas  than  $1,500,000  per  annum,  and  Chi- 
cago beef  has  obtained  the  first  place  in  the 
markets  of  the  world. 

Mr.  Peck  has  also  shown  us  his  original  docu- 
ment for  the  purchase  of  Lot  4,  Block  18,  in  the 
Old  Town  of  Chicago.  It  is  as  follows : 

CHICAGO,  Aug.  15,  1831. 
Received  of  P.  F.  W.  Peck,  eighty  dollars,  in 
full  for  Lot  No.  4,  Block  18,  in  the  plan  of  the 
town  of  Chicago,  and  in  full  for  all  claims  to  this 
date.  W.  F.  WALKER. 

This  lot  is  at  the  S.  E  corner  of  South  Water 
and  Lasalle  streets,  fronting  80  feet  on  South 
Water  and  150  feet  on  Lasalle  street,  and  entire 
is  now  valued  in  our  table  at  §42,500.  Mr.  P. 
retains  a  part  of  the  lot  only,  having  sold  the 
largest  portion  of  it  soon  after  his  purchase.  He 
has  also  exhibited  to  us  a  receipt  of  his  taxes  for 
1833,  signed  S.  Forbes,  Sheriff,  amounting  to 
$3.50.  The  books  of  the  proper  officers  will 
show  that  he  has  paid,  for  general  and  special 
assessments,  for  the  past  year,  about  $5,000. 
Mr.  Peck  is  but  one  among  a  score  in  our  city 
whose  taxes  would  show  as  large,  and  some  of 
them  even  larger  figures. 

Early  in  1832,  Chicago  received  quite  an  ad- 
dition to  her  citizens.  Among  those  now  resi- 
dents of  the  city,  we  remember  Dr.  Maxwell,  G. 
W.  Snow,  Philo  Carpenter,  John  S.  Wright,  and 
Dr.  Kimberly. 

Going  back  to  1831,  we  find  that  the  Commis- 
sioner's Court,  under  the  act  organizing  the 
county,  was  opened  March  8th  of  that  year. 


this  city,  and  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  respec- 
table settlers  of  Northern  Illinois.  He  thinks  the 
store  above  mentioned  was  the  first  frame  build- 
ing built  on  the  south  side  of  the  river  ;  but  G. 
W.  Dole,  Esq.,  assures  us  that  his  old  warehouse, 
on  the  southeast  corner  of  Dearborn  and  South 
Water  streets,  was  completed  and  occupied  by 
him  in  the  fall  of  1832.  Mr.  Dole  then  lived  in 
a  small  log  building,  now  covered  with  siding, 
which  stands  two  or  three  doors  east  of  the  old 
warehouse  on  Water  street.  The  warehouse  has 
for  some  years  been  occupied  for  dwellings. 

In  the  rear  of  this  building,  and  in  front  of  the 
Tremont  House,  Mr.  Dole  slaughtered,  in  the 
fall  of  1832,  the  first  lot  of  cattle,  in  all  two  hun- 
dred head,  ever  packed  in  Chicago.  They  ware 
driven  from  the  Wabash  valley,  and  cost  him  $2. 
75  per  cwt.  He  also  slaughtered  in  the  same 
place  and  packed  350  hogs  from  the  same  local- 
ity, for  which  he  gave  $3  per  cwt.  Here  was 
the  nucleus  of  the  immense  "  packing"  bxisiness 


The  first  record  we  have  is  that  "  Samuel  Miller, 
Gholson  Kercheval  and  James  Walker,  Commis- 
sioners for  Cook  county,  were  sworn  into  office 
J.  S  C.  Hogan,  Justice  of  the  Peace.    Wil- 
liam See  was  appointed  Clerk  of  the  Commis- 
sioner's Court,  who,  after  being  duly  sworn  and 
giving  bonds  '  according  to  law,  the  Court  pro- 
ceeded to  business.'    Archibald  Clybourn  was 
appointed  County  Treasurer,  and  an  order  passed 
that  the  '  S.  W.  fraction  of  Sec.  10  in  T.  39,  N. 
R.  14,  East  of  the  third  principal  meridian,  be 
entered  for  County  purposes.'    At  the  next  meet- 
ing, March  9th,  the  Treasurer  is  authorized  to 
borrow  one  hundred  dollars,  with  which  to  enter 
the  land  before  mentioned,  and  he  is  directed 
'  not  to  give  more  than  six  per  cent,  interest.' 
It  is  also  ordered  that  Jesse  Walker  be  employed 
to  enter  the  land,  that  Jedeiah  Wooley  be  nomi- 
nated to  the  Governor  for  County  Surveyor,  and 
that  there  be  three  precincts  in  the  county  of 
Cook,  to  wit :  '  the  Chicago  Precinct,'  the  '  Hick- 


32 


ory  Creek'  Precinct,  and  the  '  Dupage  Precinct.' 
The  boundaries  of  these  three  precincts  were  es- 
tablished, Judges  of  Election  appointed,  and  the 
times  and  the  places  of  holding  the  same.  Grand 
and  Petit  Juiors  were  selected,  and  some  other 
minor  business  transacted,  when  the  '  Court  ad- 
journed until  Court  in  course.' " 

April  13th,  1831. — A  special  term  was  held 
The  record  says:  -'Court  was  called  at  the  hour 
of  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  Samuel  Miller 
and  Gholson  Kercheval  being  present,  formed  a 
quorum,  and  proceeded  to  business. 

"  Ordered,  That  there  be  a  half  per  cent,  le- 
vied on  the  following  description  of  property,  to 
wit :  On  town  lots,  on  pleasure  carriages,  on  dis- 
tilleries, on  all  horses,  mules  and  neat  cattle 
above  the  age  of  three  years ;  on  watches,  with 
their  appurtenances,  and  on  all  clocks." 

Elijah  Weutworth  and  Samuel  Miller  were  li 
cenfed  to  keep  a  tavern  in  the  town  of  Chicago 
and  taxed  therefor  the  sum  of  $7  and  $5  respec 
lively.     The  following  financial  measure,  the  se 
cond  recorded  hi  the  history  of  Chicago,  was  also 
adopted,  and  as  one  of  the  "  quorum"  on  this 
occasion  was  also  one  of  the  prospective  "  tav 
era  keepers,"  we  have  a  right  to  presume  tha 
the  tariff  was  fairly  adjusted. 

"  Ordered,  That  the  following  rates  be  allowed 
to  tavern  keepers,  to  wit : 


Each  half  pint  of  wine,  rum  or  brandy. 
Each  pint  do..  . 

"    half  pint  of  fdn. 
"   pint  do., 

gill  of  whisky, 
half  pint  do- 
pint  do.. 


For 


each  breakfast  and  sapper. 


95    cents. 
37X 


31  X 


37  X 

*5 

£0 


dinner, 

horse  feed. 
Keeping  horse  one  night. 
Lodging  for  each  man  per  night. 
For  cider  or  beer,  one  pint, 
"*       "  "  quart. 


The  first  licensed  merchants  in  Cook  county, 
as  appears  from  the  licenses  granted  at  this  time, 
were  B.  Laughton,  Robert  A.  Kinzie,  Samuel 
Miller ;  and  the  first  auctioneer,  James  Kinzie. 
Russel  E.  Heacock  was  licensed  to  keep  a  tavern 
at  his  residence. 

Initiatory  steps  were  taken  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  ferry  across  both  branches  of  Chicago 
river,  at  the  forks,  over  which  the  people  of  Cook 
county,  with  their  "  traveling  apraties"  were  to 
be  passed  free.  Rates  of  ferriage  were  specified 
for  outsiders,  and  a  ferry  scow  was  purchased 
from  Samuel  Miller  for  sixty-five  dollars.  At  the 
next  meeting  of  the  Court,  Mark  Beaubien  filed 
his  bond  for  $200,  with  James  Kinzie  as  se- 


curity, and  having  agreed  to  pay  into  the  Trea- 
sury fifty  dollars,  and  "  to  ferry  all  citi/ens  of 
Cook  county  free,"  became  the  first  ferryman  of 
Chicago. 

During  vacation  of  Court,  permits  to  sell  goods 
were  obtained  from  the  clerk  by  Alexander  Rob- 
inson, John  B.  .Beaubien  and  Madore  Beaubien, 
thus  adding  by  so  many  to  the  number  of  Cook 
county  merchants. 

At  the  next  term  of  Court,  June  6th,  Jesse 
Walker,  who  had  been  commissioned  to  enter 
the  land  selected  for  county  purposes,  reported 
that  he  had  been  refused  permission  to  enter  the 
same,  and  paid  back  the  money  put  into  his 
hands  for  that  purpose. 

The  fees  received  by  the  members  of  the  Com- 
missioners' Court  during  this  period  were,  as  ap- 
pears from  appropriations  made  them,  at  the  rate 
of  $1.50  per  day,  for  actual  term  time,  and  were 
paid  in  county  orders.  Joseph  Leflenboys  was 
added  to  the  list  of  merchants ;  also,  Mark  Beau- 
bien and  0.  Newberry. 

Certain  blocks  and  lots  having  been  given  to 
the  county  by  the    "Canal  Commissioners,"  it 
was  thought  proper  to  dispose  of  them,  with  the 
exception  of  the  Public  Square,  and  acco:  dingly 
a  "  sail  of  lots" — we  use  the  spelling  of  the  re- 
cord— was  advertised  to  take  place  on  the  first 
Monday  hi  July  following.     This  semi-nautical 
proceeding  was  probably  the  first  of  the  specu- 
lative and  numerous  land  sales  of  which  Chicago 
has  since  been  the  theatre.    In  return,  probably, 
for  the  liberal  donation  received  from  the  Canal 
Commissioners,  and,  as  also  perhaps  considered 
the  best  and  only  method  of  extending  to  them 
the    "hospitalities  of  the  county,"  it  was  ''or- 
dered that  the  county  pay  the  Canal  Commission- 
ers' ferriage  during  their  stay  at   Chicago  on 
canal  business,"  all  of  which  ferriage,  according 
to   Mark   Beaubien's   account,    afterwards  pre- 
sented and  paid,  amounted  to  the  enormous  sum 
of  seven  dollars  and  thirty-three  cents.    In  these 
days  of  paved  streets  and  present  and  prospec 
ave  plank  roads  and  railroads,  it  is  also  interest- 
ing to  glance  at  another  order,  having  in  view 
the  opening  of  the  first  two  highways  of  which 
any  definite  history  has  come  down  to  us.     The 
irst  provides  for  the  viewing  of  a  road  to  the 
est  boundary  of  the  county,  in  a  direction  to- 
ward the  mouth  of  Fox  river,  as  follows :   "  From 
he  town  of  Chicago  to  the  house  of  B.  Laugh- 
on,  from  thence  to  the  house  of  James  Walker 
>n  the  Dupage  river,  and  so  on  to  the  west  line 
>f  the  county,  and  that  Elijah  Wentworth,  R.  E, 
Heacock  and  Timothy  B.  Clark  be  the  viewers." 
'he  other  is  a  road  from  the  town  of  Chicago, 


the  nearest  and  beat  way  to  the  house  of  the 
w.dovv  Blown,  on  'Hycory  creek,1  and  that 
James  Kiuzie,  Archibald  Clybource  and  R.  E. 
Ee.icock  be  the  viewers."'  What  would  widow 
BJOWII  now  say  were  the  to  count  from  the  cu- 
pola of  the  Tremont  House  the  eighty  trains  of 
cars  that  daily  an  ive  and  depart  fi  om  this  city. 
And  for  aught  we  know  she  may  have  done  so, 
for  it  is  only  twenty-three  yeais  since  her  house 
waa  made  ihe  terminus  of  ths  "onginal  survey" 
of  one  of  the  first  avenues  fi  Gin  Chicago. 

The  vexed  question,  whether  our  present 
splendid  Court  House,  with  all  its  rccmy  and 
•convenient  public  offices,  stands  on  a  "  square" 
or  a  "  skew,"  is  resolved  into  a  matter  of  insig- 
nificance, when  it  is  remembered  at  how  recei  t 
•  a  date,  as  the  ai  chives  ii.fonn  us,  the  Sheriff  was 
authorized  "to  piovide,  on  the  best  tetras  in  his 
power,  to  secure  a  piieon  sufficient  to  hold  prifi- 
•oners  for  the  time  being,"  or  when,  as  in  the 
present  instance,  the  "court  adjourned  until 
'court  in  course,  to  the  house  of  William  See." 

The  affairs  of  the  » ounty  appear  to  have  bern 
managed  during  these  primeval  times  with  com- 
mendable prudence,  economy  and  good  faith,  for 
we  find  subsequently  that  Jas.  Kin/Je,  having,  in 
•^his  official  capacity,  disposed  of  the  lands  given 
to  the  county  by  the  ("anz.1  Commissioners,  was 
allowed  a  county  order  for  $14  53|,  being  at  the 
rue  of  21  per  cent,  for  the  first  $2"0,  and  one 
per  cent,  for  all  over  that  sum,  for  his  services 
.as  "auxineer" — we  use  the  sjelling  of  the 
record — •*  in  the  sail  of  lots"  elsewhere  men- 
'tioned. 

The  mercantile  corps  of  Cook  county  waa 
meanwhile  increased  by  the  addition  of  four  new 
firms,  viz:  Brewster,  Began  &  Co.,  Peck, 
Walker  &  Co.,  Joseph  Naper  and  Nicholas  Boil- 
vin.  It,  perhaps,  ought  not  to  be  omitted  that 
Mark  Beanbien,  who  from  all  accounts  was  not 
an  unworthy  pioneer  to  Chicago  enterprise  and 
ambition,  not  satisfied  with  being  already  chief 
ferryman,  as  well  as  a  merchant,  or  with  having 
experienced  the  clemency  of  the  Court  in  the 
ehape  of  a  remittance  of  a  fine  of  ten  dollars, 
"  assessed  to  him  for  a  fracas"  with  John  G. 
Hall,  also  applied  for  and  received  a  license  to 
"keep  a  tavern,"  being  charged  therefor  the 
moderate  sum  of  six  dollars.  As  an  offset  to 
these  various  evidences  of  favor,  he  well  nigh 
met  with  a  worse  fate  than  old  Charon,  for  he 
was  "ordered"  to  ferry  the  citizens  of  Cook 
county  "from  daylight  in  the  morning  until 
dark,  without  stopping.'" 

The  reason  for  this  stringent  order,  as  given 
by  Dr.  Kimberiy,  was,  that  Mark  at  the  time 


kepttwo  racs  horses,  and  he  had  euch 

fo.-  the  sports  of  the  turf  that  he  wo^ld,  every 

day,  if  possible,  get  up  a  race  with  somu  of  the 

Indian    "bloodd,"   and  sadly  neglect   his  duty 

to  lorry  the  good  citizens  of  Cook  county  free, 

according  to  tiie  law  in  such  cass  made  and  pro 

vidod. 

An  mcideai  in  the  history  of  the  Baaubier 
family  should  be  didy  recorded.  The  military 
cuimnandant  of  the  State  gave  orders  in  1835 
that  the  militia  of  Cook  comity  should  b<>  duh 
organized  and  officers  elected.  Like  the  im- 
mortal Falstaff,  there  were  some  gentlemen  who 
did  not  fancy  that  kind  of  company.  As  usual, 
there  were  eeveiul  aspirants  who,  if  elected, 
would  carry  out  the  law ;  but  over  all  these  it 
was  determined  to  elect  John  B.  Colonel.  The 
•^lection  was  to  be  held  in  ths  house  of  a  Mr 
Laughton,  who  kept  tavern  near  where  Lyons- 
ville  now  stands  on  the  southwestern  plauk  road. 
The  town  turned  out  en  tuassf,  taking  with  then: 
a  keg  of  brandy,  four  packages  of  loaf  sugar  ai;d 
six  dozen  of  lemons.  John  was  elected  over  all 
opposition,  and  it  was  determined,  of  course,  to 
have  "  a  time  "  At  the  base  of  the  bluff,  near 
the  house,  is  a  fine  spiing.  A  dam  waa  made 
across  the  outlet,  and  the  brandy,  lemons  and 
sugar  were  all  emptied  into  it,  and  being  dulv 
stirred  up,  each  one  drank  till  he  could  drink  no 
more  from  this  novel  "  PCNCH  BOWL."  Colonel 
Beaubien  was  entirely  satisfied  with  "  Ike  Jwnof" 
conferred  upon  him,  and  never  called  out  hi,-* 
forces.  Ho  is  the  fiist,  and  still  is  the  highest 
officer  of  the  Cook  county  militia. 

The  first  mention  we  find  of  the  Circuit  Cou;t 
is  contained  in  the  minuter,  of  Sept.  tith,  J8S1, 
providing  that  it  be  held  5r  "  Fort  Dearborn,  in 
th'i  brfck  house,  and  iu  the  iewer  room  of  stM 
house." 

It  IB  worthv  of  remark,  that  notwithstandir^ 

O 

the  low  state  of  the  county  finances  during  th's 
period,  the  nick  or  disabled  strangers  arid  t:.i- 
vellers,  or  unfortunate  reoideats,  wen?  uniform),- 
provided  with  proper  nourishment,  medicine,  ai:d 
careful  attendance  at  the  public  expense.  Sev- 
eral instances  are  on  record  of  appropriation.* 
from  the  treasury  for  these  and  lika  purposes.  It 
is  equally  in  evidence,  that  amid  all  the  imposi- 
tions and  irregularities  attending  the  first  years 
of  a  new  settlement,  the  administration  of  public 
affairs  rested  in  the  hands  of  coo!  and  impartial 
officers,  who  were  not  to  be  easily  deceived  or 
imposed  r.pon,  and  who  had  a  single  eye  to  Use 
general  good.  As  an  instance,  we  notice  that 
when  the  first  road  was  located  from  the  Public 
SquEU-e  to  the  weet  county  line,  it  appeara  that 


34 


swine  or  all  of  the  viewers  were  influenced  by 
some  selfish  purpose,  and  hence  we  find  that 
their  "  report  is  rejected,  and  the  viewers  shall 
have  no  pay  for  their  services." 

The  population  and  business  of  the  town  stea- 
dily increased  from  month  to  month,  and  with  it 
many  changes  occurred  which  it  is  beyond  our 
limits  to  notice. 

Richard  J.  Hamilton  was  appointed  Clerk  of 
the  Court  in  place  of  William  See,  resigned,  and 
entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  office  on  the 
second  day  of  April,  1832.  Much  business  of 
more  or  less  importance  was  transacted  at  this 
special  term.  More  roads  and  streets  were 
authorized,  and  Commissioners  appointed  to  de- 
cide their  location  ;  election  precincts  and  magis- 
trate districts  were  set  apart,  described  and 
named  ;  judges  of  elections  appointed,  etc.,  etc. 
From  a  statement  returned  by  the  Sheriff  of 
Cook  county,  April  4th,  1832,  it  is  shown  that 
the  amount  of  the  tax  list  on  real  and  personal 
property  for  the  year  ending  March  Is',  1832, 
was  $148.29,  and  that  the  non-resident  delin- 
quent tax  list  amounted  to  $10.50.  Of  this 
amount  there  had  been  paid  into  the  treasury 
§142  28.  The  Treasurer's  report  for  the  same 
period  shows  that  the  amount  received  from  li- 
censes "  to  keep  taveran,"  sell  goods,  etc.,  was 
$225  50  ;  taxes  paid  in,  as  per  Sheriff's  report, 
was  $132.28— total,  $357.78.  To  balance  this 
amount,  the  Treasurer  reports,  license  tax  delin- 
quencies to  the  amount  of  $83.50.  Paid  out  for 
County  Orders,  $252.35 — leaving  balance  in  the 
treasury  of  $15.93. 

Thus  stands  the  account  current  of  Cook 
county  in  the  spring  of  1832,  only  twenty-two 
years  ago !  The  total  receipts  of  taxes  and 
moneys  from  all  other  sources,  is  the  enormous 
sum  of  $357.78 !  How  stands  the  account  now  ? 
The  total  amount  of  moneys  collected  by  the 
City  Treasurer  for  the  year  1S53,  is  $135,752. 
03  ;  and  by  the  County  Treasurer  $245,057.07 — 
making  the  total  amount  of  taxes  collected  last 
year  in  Cook  county,  $380.809.10.  Those  who 
have  leisure  may  "  cypher  up"  the  ratio  of  in- 
crease in  the  short  spaqe  of  twenty-two  years. 

The  whole  assessed  value  of  the  personal  pro- 
perty of  the  city  for  the  past  year  is  $2,711,154 ; 
real  estate,  $13,841,831 — total,  $16,841,831. 
The  entire  valuation  for  Cook  county  is,  personal 
property,  $4,450,630;  real  estate,  $18,487,627 
—total,  $22,937,657.  Every  one  knows  that 
the  assessed  does  not  represent  one  fourth  of 
the  real  value  of  the  properly  in  the  county.  It 
ia  entirely  safe  to  set  down  the  value  of  the 
personal  and  real  property  of  Cook  county  at  the 


lowest  estimate  at  O.NK  HUNDRED  MILLIONS  o? 
DOLLARS. 

It  will  be  noticed  by  the  above  that  several  oi 
the  tavern  keepers  or  merchants  failed  to  pay 
for  their  licenses,  and  it  was  accordingly  ordered 
by  the  Court  that  hereafter  all  taxes  for  liceniw 
"  shall  be  paid  before  the  issuing  thereof."  The 
tax  of  one  half  per  cent,  was  extended  to  include 
all  personal  property  of  whatever  kind  or  de- 
scription, and  other  measures  suggested  by  time 
and  experience  were  adopted.  Archibald  Cly- 
bourn  was  reappointed  Treasurer  for  the  ensuing 
year.  The  Sheriff  was  authorized  to  procure  a 
room  or  rooms  for  the  i.pril  term  of  the  Circuit 
Court  at  the  house  of  James  Kinzie,  provided  it 
can  be  done  at  a  cost  of  not  more  than  ten 
dollars. 

We  find  several  "  items"  upon  the  record, 
among  which  we  notice  that  John  R.  Clark  was 
the  first  Coroner.  The  first  inquest  was  held 
"  over  the  body  of  a  dead  Indian."  The  second 
was  on  "  William  Jewett,  a  passenger  who  was 
found  dead." 

The  first  stre'et  leading  to  Lake  Michigan  was 
laid  out  April  25th,  1832.  This  street  com- 
menced at  what  was  then  called  the  east  end  of 
Water  street,  and  ia  described  by  Jedediah 
Wooley,  the  surveyor,  as  follows:  "from  tbe 
east  end  of  Water  street,  in  the  town  of  Chicago, 
to  Lake  Michigan.  Direction  of  said  road  ia 
south  88^  degrees  east  from  the  street  to  the 
Lake,  18  chains,  50  links  "  Said  street  was  laid 
out  fifty  feet  wide.  The  viewers  on  this  occa- 
sion "  also  believe  that  said  road  is  of  public 
utility  and  a  convenient  passage  from  the  town 
to  the  Lake." 

The  first  public  building  of  which  any  mention 
is  made,  was  an  "  Estray  Pec,"  erected  on  the 
southwestern  corner  of  the  public  square.  The 
lowest  bid  for  the  contract— $20 — was  put  in  by 
Samuel  Miller,  but  upon  the  completion  of  the 
edifice,  the  Treasurer  was  directed  to  pay  there- 
for but  $12,  on  account  of  its  not  being  finished 
"  according  to  contract." 

At  the  March  term,  1833,  the  Road  Commis- 
sioners reported  their  survey  of  a  State  road 
leading  from  Chicago  to  the  left  bank  of  the 
Wabash  river,  opposite  Vincennes.  Various 
other  roads  in  different  directions  were  surveyed 
and  laid  out  during  the  spring  and  summer  of 
1833. 

The  next  public  building  erected  after  the 
"  Estray  Pen,"  was  the  Jail.  The  first  contract- 
ors failed  to  fulfil  their  contract,  and  a  suit  for 
damages  was  instituted  against  them.  The  Jai! 
was  finally  built  in  the  fall  of  1833,  "  of  logs  wels 


bolted  together,"  on  the  northwest  comer  of  the 
public  square  It  stood  there  till  last  year,  when 
the  new  Court  House  and  Jail  having  been 
completed,  it  was  torn  down,  and  no  vestige  re- 
mains to  tell  where  once  stood  "  this  terror  of 
evil  doers." 

The  minutes  of  the  first  meeting  of  the  citi- 
y.ens  of  Chicago,  without  date  upon  the  rccoitls, 
are  as  follows : 

"  At  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Chicago,  con- 
vened pursuant  to  public  notice  given  according 
to  the  statute  for  incorporating  Towns,  T.  J.  V. 
Owen  was  chosen  President,  and  E.  S.  Kimberly 
was  chosen  Clerk.  The  oaths  were  then  admin- 
istered by  Russell  E.  Heacock,  a  Justice  of  the 
1'eace  for  Cook  county,  when  the  following  vote 
was  taken  on  the  propriety  of  incorporating  the 
town  of  Chicago,  County  of  Cook,  State  of  1115- 


For  Incorporation — John  S.  C.  Hogan,  C.  A. 
BaSlard,  G.  W.  Snow,  R.  J.  Hamilton,  J.  T.  Tem- 
ple, John  Wright,  G.  W.  Dole,  Hiram  Pearsons, 
Alanaon  Sweet,  E.  S.  Kimberly,  T.  J.  V.  Owen, 
Mark  Beaubien — 12. 

Against  Incorporation — Russell  E.  Heac-ock 
—  I. 

We  certify  tl.e  above  poll  to  be  correct. 
[Signed]  T.  J.  V.  OWEN,  President. 

ED.  S.  KIMBKRLY,  Clerk. 

Dr.  Kimberly  informs  us  that  the  meeting  was 
held  some  twenty  days  before  the  election  which 
followed. 

The  first  election  for  five  Trustees  of  the  town 
of  Chicago  was  held  at  the  house  of  Mark  Beau- 
bien, on  the  10th  of  August,  1833,  at  11  o'clock 
in  the  forenoon,  and  the  polls  were  closed  at  1 
-•"'clock.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the 
voters,  and  those  elected  on  that  occasion  : 

Voters — E.  S.  Kimberly,  J.  B.  Beaubien,  Mark 
JJ-js.uV'ien,  T.  J.  V.  Owen,  William  Ninson,  Hi- 
ram Pearsons,  Philo  Carpenter,  George  Chap- 
man, John  Wright,  John  T.  Temple,  Matthias 
Smith,  David  Carver,  James  Kinzie,  Charles 
Taylor,  John  S.  C.  Hogan,  Eli  A.  Rider,  Dexter 
•I.  H;ipgood,  George  W.  Snow,  Madore  Beau- 
bien, Gholson  Kercheval,  Geo  W.  Dole,  R.  J. 
Ilamiliqn,  Stephen  F.  Gale,  Enoch  Darling,  W. 
II.  Adams,  C.  A.  Ballard,  John  Watkins,  James 
Gilbert 

T.  J.  V.  Owen  received  26  votes. 
Geo.  W.  Dole          "       26       " 
Madore  Beaubien    "       23       " 
John  Miller  "       20       " 

E.  S.  Kimberly        "      20      " 


And  so  were  elected  Trustees  of  the  town  o 
Chicago. 

At  this  election  there  were  in  all  twenty-eight 
voters  in  the  "TOWN  or  CHICAGO"  on  the  10th 
day  of  August,  1833.  "Canvassing"  at  elec- 
tions did  not  require  quite  so  much  labor,  and 
there  was  far  less  money  spent  then  than  tberf- 
is  now.  Two  of  the  first  Trustees,  Dr.  Kimberly 
and  G.  W.  Dole,  Esq.,  are  still  residents  of  the 
city.  The  "town  of  Chicago"  has  not,  there- 
fore, arrived  at  the  lull  age  of  twenty-one  years. 
To  those  who  have  not  become  familiar  with 
such  facts,  they  are  more  wonderful  than  the 
wildest  dreams  of  a  "  poetic  fancy."  They  are, 
however,  plain  sober  history — such  history,  how- 
ever, as  can  only  be  found  in  the  annals  of  the 
American  people. 

The  Trustees  held  their  first  meeting  at  the 
Clerk's  office  on  the  12th  day  of  August,  1833. 
The  limits  of  the  corporation  were  defined  as 
follows  :  Beginning  at  the  intersection  of  Jack- 
son and  Jefferson  streets,  thence  north  to  Cook 
street,  and  through  that  street  to  its  eastern  ex- 
tremity in  Wabansia,  thence  on  a  direct  line  to 
Ohio  street  in  Kinzie's  addition,  thence  east- 
wardly  to  the  Lake  shore,  thence  south  with  the 
line  of  beach  to  the  northern  TJ.  S.  pier,  thence 
northwardly  along  said  pier  to  its  termination, 
thence  to  the  channel  of  the  Chicago  river, 
thence  along  said  channel  until  it  intersects  the 
eastern  boundary  line  of  the  Town  of  Chicago, 
as  laid  out  by  the  Canal  Commissioners,  thence 
southwardly  with  said  line  until  it  meets  Jackson 
street,  thence  westwardly  along  Jackson  street 
until  it  reaches  the  place  of  beginning. 

The  26th  of  September,  1833,  is  a  memorable 
day  in  the  history  of  Chicago.  The  Pottawot- 
amie  Indians,  to  the  number  of  7,000,  had  been 
gathered  here  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  treaty 
with  the  United  States.  On  that  day  the  treaty 
was  signed  on  the  part  of  the  United  States  by 
T.  J.  V.  Owen,  G.  B.  Porter  and  Wm.  Weather- 
ford,  and  by  a  la^ge  number  of  Indian  chiefs,  by 
which  the  Indians  ceded  to  the  United  States  all 
their  territory  in  Northern  Illinois  and  Wiscon- 
sin, amounting  to  about  twenty  million  acres. 
The  treaty  was  made  in  a  large  tent  on  the  north 
side,  a  little  north  of  the  Lake  House.  The 
largest  part  of  the  Indians  were  encamped  in  th<- 
woods  on  the  north  side.  Two  bands  from  Cold- 
water,  Mich.,  encamped  under  a  large  cotton- 
wood  tree,  which  then  stood  in  the  rear  of  I. 
Speer's  Jewelry  store,  near  the  corner  of  Lake 
and  State  streets.  There  were  a  large  number 
of  speculators  and  others  present,  and  there 
were  scenes  enacted  which  it  would  be  no  credh 


36 


to  humanity  to  narrate.  Quite  a  large  number 
of  our  present  citizens  were  here  at  the  time  of 
the  treaty. 

On  the  26th  of  November,  1833,  the  first 
newspaper  ever  printed  in  Chicago,  or  Northern 
Illinois,  was  published  by  our  friend,  John  Cai- 
houii,  Esq  The  bound  volumes  of  that  paper 
for  t-vo  years  are  before  us.  The  perusal  of  its 
pages  has  filled  up  some  of  the  moat  interesting 
hours  in  our  study  of  the  *'  ancient  history"  of 
Chicago.  It  has  since  fallen  into  other  hand*, 
and  merit*  no  notice  from  us.  In  this  first  num- 
ber, Mr.  Caihoun  stiongly  urges  "the  com- 
mencement and  completion  of  the  long-contem- 
plated canal  to  connect  the  watej^  of  Lake  Mi- 
chigan with  the  Illinois  river,"  and  adds,  that 
"even  with  the  present  limited  facilities  of  navi- 
gation, goods  have  been  Uaimpoited  from  New 
Yoi  k  to  St.  Louis  in  the  ahoi  t  space  of  twKity- 
three  days!"  Thanks  to  our  railroads,  goods 
can  now  be  sent  through  by  express  in  three 
.days ! 

The  second  number  cf  Mr.  Ca'honn's  paper, 
issued  on  the  3d  of  December,  1833,  contains  ihi1 
names  of  the  following  peiuons  as  advertisers, 
who  are  still  residents  of  Chicago:  S.  B.  Cobb, 
John  S.  Wright,  Walter  Kimball,  Philo  Carpen- 
ter, P.  F.  W.  Peek,  R.  M  Sweet,  A.  Clybourne, 
John  Bates,  jr.,  G.  W.  Dole,  B.  Jones,  SUr 
Footo,  C.  Harmon,  E.  S.  Kiniberly,  John  H.  Kin- 
zie,  S.  D.  Pierce  end  II.  J.  Hamilton.  We  think 
this  fact  is  n  or  thy  of  notice  by  those  v.  ho  have 
been  led  to  believe  that  Chicago  is  an  unhealthy 
city.  Never  was  there  a  more  gratuitous  or  uu- 
founded  assertion. 

During  the  summer  of  1833,  Chicago,  as  has 
already  been  intimated,  grew  rapidly.  Attention 
had  been  called  to  the  place  by  an  appropriation 
of  $00,000,  made  in  the  spying  of.  that  year  by 
Congress,  to  build  a  harbor  here  to  accommodate 
the  commerce  of  Lake  Michigan.  The  harbor 
was  pushed  forward  rapidly  during  the  sumn.er, 
and  in  the  following  spring  there  was  a  great 
freshet,  which  carried  out  the  san'J  f.-om  between 
the  piera,  ai.d  opened  the  harbor  to  the  Lake 
commerce. 

So  late  as  1884,  only  twenty  years  ago,  there 
•was  but  one  mail  per  week  frora  Niles,  Michigan, 
to  Chicago,  and  that  was  carried  on  koraebaclc. 
On  the  llth  of  January  of  that  year,  &  large 
public  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Chicago  was 
fceld  at  the  house  of  Mark  Eeaubien,  at  which,  of 
course,  "  speeches  were  made,"  and  a  memorial 
was  drawn  up  and  sent  to  the  Postmaster  Gen 
era],  stating  the  grievances  under  which  the 
citizens  labored,  and  the  pree&ng  necewuty  there 


was  for  increased  mail  facilities.  The  contiast 
presented  by  the  present  post  ollice  business  is 
truly  astonishing.  The  Chicago  post  oilice  u 
now  seniiiiig  out  and  receiving  fourteen  daily 
mails,  besides  aevejal  weekly  aud  tri-weeKly. 
Tiie  receipt  of  the  ofiice  for  the  quarter  ending 
Jan.  !bt,  1854,  were  over  $130,000. 

The  number  of  letters  passing-  through  the 
office  averages  over  3n,000  daily,  and  there  are 
76  bags  containing  4-">,000  newspapers.  The 
average  number  of  lettei  s  received  by  our  citi- 
zens, and  sent  out  from  this  office,  is  about  5,000 
per  day. 

We  gather  the  following  items  from  our  friend 
("alhoun's  paper.  On  the  ICih  of  April,  1834. 
there  was  still  but  one  mail  per  week,  and  he 
ives  as  an  excuse  for  not  having  more  news, 
that  for  that  week  it  did  not  arrive.  The  same 
week  he  commences  a  marine  list,  noticing  the 
a'-rival  of  one  schooner  from  St.  Joseph's,  and 
the  departure  of  two  fir  the  same  port.  On  the 
3'lth  of  the  same  month  he  says  that  emigration 
had  faiily  commenced,  as  more  than  ''  a,  hundred 
had  arrived  by  boats  and  otherwise  within  tlw 
last  (en  days.*  Astonishing!  an  average  of  tan 
persons  per  day!  What  would  c«r  two  great 
Ka.*ter»  railroad*  pay  to  such  an  amount  of  travel? 
On  the  4th  of  June  Sir.  CVlhoun  announces  with 
groat  satisfaction  ''that  arrangements  have  been 
made  by  the  piopiietors  of  tbe  steamboats  on 
Lake  Erie,  r.horeby  Chicago  13  to  be  visited  by  a 
steamboat  ttnre  a  toetk  till  the  25lh  of  August." 
This  was  certainly  an  era  in  the  history  of  the 
"town  of  Chicago."  On  Saturday,  July  llth, 
1834,  the  schooner  Illinois  entered  vbe  harbort 
and  nailed  up  the  river  amid  the  acclamations  of 
the  citizens.  She  was  the  Srst  larg;-  vessel  that 
ever  e?itered  the  Chicago  river.  The  bar  be- 
tween the  piera  was  worn  out  by  c  great  freshet 
the  spring  previous.  Before  this,  vessels  wer* 
obliged  to  anchor  outside  the  bar,  .vad  received 
and  discharged  their  cargoes  by  n:cjr,s  of  scow? 
and  lighters.  The  Illinois  was  the  pioneer  of  the 
immense  commerce  which  now  finds  its  centro 
in  Chicago.  In  the  same  paper,  of  the  6th  of 
August,  we  find  the  whole  numbar.of  votes 
polled  in  Cook  county,  which  then  embraced  th<> 
present  counties  of  Will  and  Dupage,  was  528. 
During  the  summer  of  18S4  Chicago  grew  very 
rapidly,  for  we  find  Mr.  Caihoun  stating,  on  the 
3d  of  September,  "  that  one  hundred  and  fifty 
vessels  had  discharged  their  cargoes  since  tha 
20th  of  April  previous." 

We  musi  not  suppose,  however,  that  Chicago 
was  "out  of  the  woods,"  for  there  w:>8  a  fin« 
grove  of  tJrolxw  along  the  river  on  the  east  side, 


37 


extending  south  from  Ifadison  street.  Some  of 
these  trees  are  still  standing,  and  we  present  a 
pi-,  a  in  ihcir  behalf,  that  the."  n>ay  IHJ  spared  ihf 
"lemo.seless  axe."  On  Monday  morning,  Oct. 
€th,  the  citizens  of  this  quiet  town  were  staitled 
by  the  announcement  that  >\  large  black  bear  was 
gaf  ly  domiciled  in  this  "xtiip  of  tinil»er"  All 
the  town  of  c»uiee  turned  out  to  give  Bmin 
anything  but  a  generous  welcome.  He  was  soon 
found,  and  following  \.'u  ancient  custom,  "took 
to  a  tree"  This  was"  of  comae  no  secmity,  and 
he  was  shot  near  the  corner  of  Market  and  .Juek- 
isoii  streets.  In  these  woods  multitudes  of  pi-aiiio 
wolves  were  accustomed  to  harbor,  and  in  the 
night  they  would  visit  all  parts  of  the  town. 
Excited  by  their  success  against  poor  Bruin,  the 
citizens  manfully  detei  mined  to  give  the  wolves 
no  quai  ter.  They  therefore  formed  several  par- 
ties, and  at  iiijrht  it  was  found  that  they  had 
dispatched  forty  of  these  midnight  marauders. 
We  simply  make  a  note,  that  on  the  spot  where 
Chicago  now  stands,  less  than  twenty  years  ago, 
a  "  great  hunt"  was  gotten  up,  and  one  bear 
j>r;d — proliably  within  the  present  city  limits — 
forty  wolves  were  killed  in  a  single  day. 

Mr.  Calhoan  was  present  at  the  Indian  pay- 
ment in  1834,  and  has  handed  us  the  following 
account  of  it.  lie  says : 

"On  the  '28th  of  October  the  first  annuity  was 
paid  to  the  Pottawatomio  and  other  Indians  un- 
der the  treaty  which  was  made  the  year  pre- 
vious for  the  purchase  of  their  lands  in  Michigan, 
Illinois  and  Wisconsin,  About  $30,000  worth 
of  goods  were  to  be  distributed.  They  assem- 
bled to  the  number  of  about  4,000.  The  distri- 
bution took  place  by  piling  the  whole  quantity 
in  a  heap  upon  the  prairie  on  the  west  side  of 
die  river,  near  the  corner  of  Randolph  and  Canal 
irtreets  The  Indians  were  made  to  sit  down 
upon  the  gra=s  in  a  circle  around  the  pile  of 
goods — their  squnws  sitting  behind  them.  The 
half  breeds  and  traders  were  appointed  to  dis- 
tribute the  goods,  and  they  leisurely  walked  to 
the  pile  and  taking  in  their  arms  an  armfull  of 
good-j,  proceeded  to  throw  to  one  and  another 
of  those  sitting  on  the  giaps,  and  to  whom  they 
were  appointed  to  distribute  such  articles  as  they 
iww  fit,  and  then  returned  to  the  pile  to  replen- 
ish. Shortly  the  Indians  began  to  show  an  anx- 
iety not  to  be  overlooked  in  the  distribution,  and 
at  first  got  on  their  kn <?'•?,  vociferating  all  the 
time  in  right  lusty  Indian  "gibberish."  Then 
they  ro->e  on  one  foot,  and  soon  all  were  stand- 
ing, and  then  they  began  to  contract  the  cii-cle, 
until  they  finally  made  a  i  u^h  for  t'-e  pile.  I  saw 
then  a  manner  cf  di-pi-rsing  a  mob  that  I  never 


saw  exemplified  before  nor  since.  The  crowd 
was  so  great  around  the  pile  of  goods  that  those 
that  were  back  fiom  them  could  not  get  to  them, 
and  the  "outsideis"  at  once  commenced  hurling 
into  the  air  whatever  missiles  they  could  get  hold 
of,  literally  filling  the  ai:-,  and  causing  them  to 
fall  in  the  centre  where  the  crowd  was  the  most 
dense.  These,  to  save  a  broken  head,  rushed 
away,  leaving  a  space  for  those  who  had  hurled 
the  missiles  to  rush  in  for  a  share  of  the  spoils. 
The  Indians  were  paid  their  annuities  for  two 
years  after  the  treaty,  before  they  were  removed 
west  of  the  Mississippi.  These  Indians  were  a 
degraded  set,  and  did  not  inspire  a  person  with 
any  respect  for  the  prowess  and  savage  character 
which  our  forefathers  had  to  encounter.  A  num- 
ber were  killed  here  at  every  payment  in  their 
drunken  brawls." 

On  the  9th  of  September,  1833,  our  fellow 
citizen,  Col.  J  B.  F.  Russell,  advertises  for  forty 
ox  teams,  t-ach  team  to  be  composed  of  two  yoke 
of  oxen,  to  remove  the  Indians  to  the  country 
"  allotted  to  them  West."  On  the  first  of  Octo- 
ber Colonel  Russt-11  started  with  the  "  forty  ox 
teams,"  containing  the  children  and  baggage  ot 
the  last  remaining  remnant  of  the  Red  Men, 
about  1,500  in  all,  and  was  twenty  days  in  reach- 
ing the  Mississippi.  'I  hey  were  twenty  days 
more  in  reaching  the  land  allotted  to  them  west 
of  Missouri.  It  is  not,  therefore,  nineteen  years 
since  Chicago  was  surrounded  by  Pottawatomie 
Indians. 

In  Mr   Calhoun's  paper  of  November  25th, 

1835,  we  find  the  first  census  of  the  town  ot 
Chicago  and  the  county  of  Cook.     The  town, 
then  contained  3,265,  and  the  county  9,77 8  in- 
habitants     Mr.  Calhoun  speaks  of  this  as  a  very 
encouraging  increase,  as  the  county  contained 
only  a  very  few  inhabitants  when  it  was  organ- 
ized in  1830.     As  late  as  the  '2oth  of  January, 

1836,  he  regrets  to  learn  that  Will  county  is  to 
be  set  oflffiom  Cook,  as  it  will  probably  "lessen 
our  politicnl  influence  in  the  Sti.te."     On  Thurs- 
day, May  18,  1830,  the  sloop  Clarissa,  the  first 
vessel  ever  built  in  Chicago,  was  launched.     It 
was  an  occasion  of  much* interest. 

The  Fire  Department  was  organized  on  the 
19th  of  September,  183/>,  as  appears  by  the  fol- 
lowing resolution  passed  by  the  Board  of  Trustees 
on  that  day : 

"  Rexnlvfd,  That  the  President  order  two  en 
gines  for  the  use  of  the  Corporation,  of  suck 
description  an  he  shall  deem  necessary,  and  also 
1,000  feet  of  hose,  on  the  credit  of  the  Corpo- 
ration." 


38 


The  first  lawyer's  bill  we  find  on  the  records 
•was  paid  to  James  H.  Collins,  Esq.,  on  the  16th 
day  of  August,  1834.  Some  differences  had 
arisen  in  reference  to  the  right  of  the  city  to 
lease  certain  water  lots.  Mr.  Collins  was  applied 
to  for  an  opinion,  for  which  he  charged  and  re- 
ceived $5.  On  the  7th  of  October,  1835,  John 
Dean  Caton's  bill  against  the  Corporation  for 
counsel  fees  and  services  rendered  during  the 
years  1833-'4  was  paid.  The  amount  of  the  bill 
was  $75.  Our  friends,  the  lawyers,  manage  at 
present  to  get  a  much  larger  slice  from  the 
public  loaf. 

On  the  13th  of  February,  1836,  notice  was 
given  that  the  "  Trustees  of  the  Town  of  Chi- 
cago will  not  hold  themselves  accountable  for 
any  damages  which  may  arise  to  any  person  by 
reason  of  crossing  the  bridges  over  the  Chicago 
river,  or  over  the  north  and  south  branches 
thereof,  the  said  bridges  being  considered  dan- 
gerous, and  the  said  Trustees  not  having  funds 
out  of  which  to  repair  the  said  bridges."  Rather 
a  sad  state  of  affairs  that. 

On  the  26th  day  of  October,  1836,  initiatory 
steps  were  taken  towards  obtaining  a  City  Char- 
ter. The  town  being  then  in  three  districts,  the 
President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  invited  the 
inhabitants  of  each  district  to  select  three  per- 
sons to  meet  with  the  Board,  and  consult  upon 
the  expediency  of  applying  to  the  Legislature 
for  a  City  Charter,  and  to  adopt  a  draft  to  ac- 
company such  application.  The  district  meeting 
was  held,  and  the  following  delegates  chosen : 

From  1st  District — Ebenezer  Peck,  William 
Stuart,  E.  W.  Casey. 

From  2d  District— J.  D.  Caton, Chad- 
wick,  W.  Forsyth. 

From  3d  District — John  H.  Kinzie,  W.  L. 
Newberry,  T.  W.  Smith. 

The  above  delegates  met  with  the  Board  on 
Friday  evening,  November  25th,  at  the  Trustees' 
room,  opposite  the  Mansion  House,  and  it  was 
resolved  "  that  it  is  expedient  for  the  citizens  of 
Chicago  to  petition  the  Legislature  for  a  City 
Charter.  Also,  that  a  committee  of  five,  con- 
sisting of  one  delegate  from  each  district,  and 
two  members  of  the  Board,  be  appointed  by  the 
chair  to  prepare  a  draft  of  a  City  Charter,  -to  be 
submitted  to  this  convention.  Whereupon  the 
chair  (E.  B.  Williams)  appointed  Messrs.  E. 
Peck,  District  No.  1,  J.  D.  Caton,  District  No. 
2,  and  T.  W.  Smith,  District  No.  3,  and  from 
the  Trustees,  Messrs.  Bolles  and  Ogden.  The 
committee  met  again  Dec.  9th,  and  through  E. 
Peck,  Esq.,  presented  their  draft  of  a  City  Char- 


ter. After  some  discussion  and  amendment,  it 
was  adopted  for  presentation  to  the  citizens,  and 
500  copies  were  ordered  to  be  printed. 

The  charter  was  parsed  by  the  Legislature, 
and  approved  March  4th,  1837.  The  city  ol 
Chicago  is  therefore  not  "  out  of  her  teens." 
She  is  a  buxom  maiden  of  only  SEVENTEEN  sum- 
mers, and  what  she  is  destined  to  be  when  sin- 
becomes  a  matron  of  sixty,  we  dare  not  veututv 
to  predict. 

The  first  election  for  city  officers  was  held  on 
the  1st  Tuesday  of  May,  1837.  It  resulted  a.* 
follows : 

Wm.  B.  Ogden,  Mayor. 

J.  C.  Goodhue,  Alderman  1st  Ward. 


J.  S.  C.  Hogan, 
J.  D.  Caton, 

A.  Pierce, 

B.  Ward, 
S.  Jackson, 


id 
3d 
4th 
5th 
6th 


John  Shrigley  was  elected  High  Constable 
and  at  the  first  meeting  of  the  Council,  May  3d. 
1837,  N.  B.  Judd,  Esq.,  was  elected  City  At- 
torney. The  total  number  of  votes,  as  appears 
from  the  canvas  for  Mayor,  then  in  the  city,  was 
703. 

The  first  census  of  Chicago  was  taken  July 
1st,  1837. 


Under  5 
Y'rs  of  A*e 
Male.  Fern. 

Over  5.  un- 
der 21  Y'rs. 
Male  Pern. 

21  and 
over. 
Male.  Fern. 

Persons  of 
Oolor. 
Male.  Fern. 

1st  Ward.    57      «9 
2d  Ward.    76       77 
3d  Ward.    11       16 
4th  Ward.   15       15 
5th  Ward.  32      87 
6th  Ward.  53       65 

109    135 
1?0   148 
33     13 

31     27 
2fi     20 

72    lul 

444   218 
6'W   26-3 
70     46 
101     42 
185     70 
•120   207 

10       7 
13     18 

'5     "2 

is    '» 

244     2fi9 
244 

Totals  513 

3»1    450 
£81 

in 

1^0'J   845 
1800 

2d45 
831 

41     3* 
41 

77 

Total  white  ...... 

513 

.  .  .  .3,980 

"    black..    .           

......     77 

Total 

.  .  .4.0i!.i 

Sailors  belonging  to  vessels  owned 

Grand  Total.... 

....4.170 

The  census  shows  that  there  were — 


4  Warehouses. 
89S  Dwelling. 
29  Dry  Goods  Stores. 
B  Hardware  Stores, 
3  Drug  Stores. 


19  Grocery    KSI&    Froritioc. 

Stores, 
10  Taverns., 
2-  Groceries, 
17  Lawyers'  oSr-i-s. 


L.i«t  «<f  Mayors. 

1837— W.  B.  Ogder. 
1838— B.  S.  Morris. 


39 


1839 — Benj.  W.  Raymond. 
1840— A.  Lloyd. 
1841 — Francis  C.  Sherman. 
1842— Benj.  W.  Raymond. 
1843 — Augustus  Garrett 
1844— A.  S.  Sherman. 
1845 — Augustus  Garrett 
1846 — John  P.  Chapin. 
1847 — James  Curtiss. 
1848 — James  II.  Woodworth. 
1849 — James  H.  Woodvrorth. 
1850 — James  Curtiss. 
1851 — Walter  S.  Gurnee. 
1852— Walter  S.  Gurnee. 
1853— C.  M.  Gray. 
1854—1.  L.  Mffliken. 

We  left  the  history  of  the  Illinois  and  Michi- 
gan Canal  at  the  laying  out  of  the  town  of  Chi- 
cago in  1829,  by  the  Canal  Commissioners. 
Nothing  effectual  was  done  till  the  special  ses- 
sion of  the  Legislature  in  1835-'6,  when  the 
canal  board  was  reorganized,  and  an  act  was 
passed  authorizing  a  loan  of  half  a  million  of 
dollars  to  construct  the  canal.  Ground  was 
broken  at  Bridgeport  on  the  fourth  of  July,  1836. 

At  the  session  of  the  Legislature  in  1886-"7, 
the  State  entered  upon  a  splendid  scheme  of 
"  internal  improvement."  The  State  was  com- 
pletely chequered  with  railroad  projects,  and 
many  millions  were  squandered.  The  total 
length  of  the  roads  to  be  at  once  completed  was 
some  thirteen  hundred  miles,  and  five  millions 
<n  dollars  were  expended  in  locating  and  grading 
them.  Amid  the  general  financial  embarrass- 
ment which  followed  those  years  of  madness  and 
folly,  the  credit  of  the  State  went  down,  and 
bankruptcy  and  a  general  suspension  of  the 
public  works  were  the  consequence.  In  1841 
the  total  State  indebtedness  amounted  to  fifteen 
i,,'dlions  of  dollars. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark,  however,  that  the  only 
mistake  the  statesmen  of  that  period  made,  was 
to  embark  the  State  in  a  general  system  of  inter- 
nal improvements,  and  in  addition  to  this,  their 
plans  were  in  advance  of  the  times  in  which 
they  lived.  Twenty  years  will  accomplish  by 
private  enterprise  for  the  State  of  Illinois  much 
more  than  the  statesmen  of  '36-'7  expected  to 
realize.  Extravagant  as  their  schemes  then  ap- 
peared, in  another  year  we  shall  have  more  than 
twice  as  many  miles  of  railroad  in  operation  as 
their  plan  embraced.  They  deserve,  therefore, 
more  credit  than  they  have  been  accustomed  to 
receive,  for  the  result  has  rhown  that  their  cal- 
culations were  based  upon  a  proper  appreciation 


of  the  immense  resources  of  our  glorious  Prairie- 
State. 

But  to  return  to  the  canal.  The  funds  bor- 
rowed for  the  purpose  of  completing  the  canal 
were  kept  separate ;  but  it  shared  the  fate  ol 
being  in  bad  company,  and  all  work  was  aban- 
doned in  1842.  The  contractors  had  large  claims 
against  the  State,  and  in  1843  a  law  was  passed 
to  settle  the  claims  of  the  contractors  and  liqui- 
date the  damages,  provided  the  sum  should  not 
exceed  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars. 
The  summit  level  of  the  canal,  extending  from 
Bridgeport  to  Lockport,  a  distance  of  twenty-eight 
miles,  is  only  from  six  to  eight  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  Lake,  and  as  originally  planned,  this 
level  was  to  be  fed  from  the  Lake,  thereby  prac- 
tically making  a  southern  outlet  to  Lake  Michi- 
gan by  the  Illinois  and  Mississippi  rivers.  The 
depth  and  width  of  the  canal  gave  it  a  capacity 
sufficient  to  admit  the  passage  of  large  sail  ves- 
sels. About  one  half  of  the  summit  level  was 
completed  in  accordance  with  these  plans  before 
the  work  was  abandoned  in  1842.  In  the  ses- 
sion of  the  Legislature  of  1843-'4,  a  bill  provid- 
ing for  the  completion  of  the  canal  on  the  "shal- 
low cut"  was  passed,  the  substance  of  which  wag, 
that  the  holders  of  the  canal  bonds  should  ad- 
vance $1,600,000  to  complete'  .the  work.  The 
canal  lands  yet  remaining  unsold,  and  the  canal 
itself,  with  the  revenus  to  be  derived  from  it, 
were  placed  in  the  hands  of  three  trustees,  two 
of  whom  were  chosen  by  the  bondholders,  and 
one  by  the  State.  There  were  in  all  about  two 
hundred  and  thirty  thousand  acres  of  land,  and 
several  hundred  lots  in  the  cities  of  Chicago, 
Ottawa,  Lasalle,  and  the  towns  along  the  lin*-, 
placed  in  the  hands  of  the  trustees.  The  money 
was  advanced  by  the  bondholders,  and  the  canal 
was  completed  and  went  into  operation  in  the 
spring  of  1848.  It  gave  an  impetus  to  the  com- 
merce and  prosperity  of  Chicago  far  beyond  the- 
anticipations  of  its  most  sanguine  friends,  and 
since  then  Chicago  has  grown  very  rapidly,  hav- 
ing more  than  trebled  her  population  in  the  short 
space  of  six  years. 

These  lands  have  been*offered  for  sale  every 
six  months,  and  owing  to  the  enhanced  value 
which  the  rapid  increase  of  population  in  this 
part  of  the  State  has  given  them,  the  loan  of 
one  million  six  hundred  thousand  dollars  was  all 
paid  off  last  fall,  and  quite  a  large  amount  is  still 
due  on  the  lands  sold,  and  no  inconsiderabk- 
portion  of  them  is  still  in  the  hands  of  the  Trus- 
tees. The  finances  of  the  State,  as  shown  in  tin- 
recent  message  of  His  Excellency,  Governo; 
Matteson,  are  in  a  very  prosperous  condition. 


40 


Though  the  <tebt  is  still  large,  without  imposing 
'iny  additional  burdens  upon  our  citizens,  it  will 
_11  be  paid  off  in  a  few  years.  It  is  worthy  of 
bpcctal  renittik,  that  when  the  New  Constitution 
was  formed  in  1847,  a  clause  was  introduced  in 
it  by  which,  if  approved  by  the  people,  a  special 
tax  of  two  mills  uj'ou  the  dollar  was  levied,  and 
was  to  be  applied  to  extinguishing  the  principal 
of  this  debt  The  people  in  1848  voted  upon 
this  provision  sepaiately,  and  adopted  it  by  ten 
thousand  majority  This,  so  fur  as  we  know,  is 
the  first  instance  in  wh'ch  the  people  of  a  State 
Jeliberately  taxed  themselves  in  order  to  pay  an 
old  and  a  burdensome  debt.  It  is  a  fine  compli- 
ment to  the  integrity  of  the  citizens  of  Illinois, 
and  has  done  much  to  establish  her  character  in 
commercial  circles,  both  in  this  country  and  in 
Europe. 

There  are  some  interesting  facia  in  reference 
u>  the  topography  of  Chicago,  only  a  few  of 
which  we  have  space  to  give.  On  the  south  side 
of  the  river  there  were  two  sloughs  between  the 
Garrison  and  "  the  point"  The  first  emptied 
into  the  river  at  the  foot  of  State  street.  It  ran 
a  little  north  of  the  Sherman  House,  crossing 
Clark  street  near  the  Post  Office,  thence  crossing 
Lake  street  nearly  in  front  of  the  Tremont  House. 
The  "  old  Tremont  House"  was  on  the  northwest 
corner  of  Lake  aud  Dearborn  streets,  and  as  late 
;is  1 831  sportsmen  would  sit  in  the  door  of  the 
•'  TRKMONT"  and  shoot  ducks  in  the  slough.  The 
other  slough  entered  the  river  at  the  foot  of  La- 
aalle  street.  The  store  built  ia  183l-'2  by  P.  F. 
W.  Peck,  Esq.,  at  the  southeast  corner  of  La- 
salle  and  Water  streets,  was  situated  on  a  "  high 
point  of  laud,"  formed  by  a  bend  in  this  slough. 
Poles  were  luid  across  these  sloughs,  on  which 
the  people  going  east  and  west  crossed  for  want 
of  a  better  badge. 

The  dwelling  uow  occupied  by  Mrs.  Wright, 
;it  the  comer  of  Michigan  Avenue  and  Madison 
street,  was  built  by  John  Wright,  Esq.,  in  1839. 
Then  it  was  •'  way  cut  of  town  in  the  prairie." 
Randolph  and  Washington  streets  were  not  even 
"  turnpiked,"  and  there  was  nothing  to  indicate 
their  "  local  habitation"  save  only  here  and  there 
;;  few  stake-  driven  eight  years  previous  by  Sur- 
veyor Thompson  and  his  assistants.  There  were 
a  few  scattered  houses  along  Lake  and  South 
Water  streets. 

The  first,  deed  on  record  is  made  by  Governor 
Reynolds,  in  behalf  of  the  State,  to  Robert  Kii.- 
zie,  assignee  of  B.  B.  Kercheval,  and  conveys 
lots  5  and  ti,  block  29,  Original  Town,  for  the 
sum  of  $l<)9.  It  is  recorded  December  2,  1831, 
i.y  K.  J.  Hamilton,  Recorder.  The  first  will  on 


record  is  that  of  Alexander  Wolcott,  filed  April.' 
:!7,  183!,  before  R.  J-  Hamilton,  Judge  of  Pro- 
bate. 

It  is  a  feature  of  our  city,  more  noticed  by 
strai  ger-»  than  by  ourselves,  who  are  accustomed 
to  it,  that  we  are  a  community  of  workers. 
Every  man  apparently  has  his  head  and  hands 
full,  aiid  seems  to  be  hurried  along  by  an  irre- 
sistiUe  impulse  that  allows  him  neither  rest  nor 
leisu'e  An  abusing  evidence  of  this  charac- 
teristic of  Chicago  occurs  in  connection  with  the 
firss  census  of  the  city,  taken  July  1st,  1837, 
when  the  occupation,  as  well  as  names  and  resi- 
dence of  every  citizen  were  duly  entered.  In 
the  record  of  the  population  of  four  thousand 
one  hundred  and  seventy,  among  the  names  of 
professors  mechanics,  artisans  and  laborers,  ap 
pears,  in  unenviable  singularity,  the  entry, 
"  Richard  Harper,  loafer,"  the  oniy  representa- 
tive of  the  class  at  that  time  in  the  city.  From 
this  feeble  ancestry  the  descendants  have  been 
few  and  unimjiortiint;  and  we  believe  there  is 
not  a  city  in  the  Union  where  the  proportion 
of  vagabonds  and  loafers  is  so  small  as  in  Chi- 
cago. 

We  mi^ht  extend  our  sketches  at  pleasure, 
but  we  have  already  greatly  exceeded  the  limits 
we  at  first  assigned  them.  It  ia  not  yet  quite 
seventeen  years  since  the  city  government  was 
first  organized.  Then  it  contained  only  four 
thousand  one  hundred  and  seventy  inhabitants ; 
now  it  has  over  sixty  thousand.  Then  there  was 
not  a  canal,  railroad  or  plank  road  leading  out  of 
the  city,  and  only  three  years  previous  there  was 
but  one  mail  from  the  East  per  week,  and  that 
was  brought  from  Niles  on  horseback.  The 
changes  which  have  been  wrought  in  seventeea 
years  are  truly  amazing . 

The  question  naturally  arises,  What  will  the 
next  seventeen  years  accomplish?  With  less 
than  the  ratio  of  her  past  increase  of  populatioa 
from  the  time  she  first  became  a  city,  she  will,  in 
1871,  contain  more  than  half  a  Million  of  people, 
Few,  perhaps,  would  dare  to  predict  such  a  re 
suit;  but  let  us  look  at  a  few  facts,  and  leava 
each  one  to  draw  his  own  conclusion.  We  are 
now  in  direct  railroad  connection  with  all  the 
Atlantic  cities  from -Portland  to  Baltimore.  Five,, 
and  at  most  eight  years,  will  extend  the  circle  to 
New  Orleans  By  that  time  also  we  shall  shake 
hands  with  the  rich  copper  and  iron  mines  of 
Lake  Superior,  both  by  canal  and  railroad ;  and 
long  ere  another  seventeen  years  have  passed 
away,  we  shall  have  a  great  National  Railroad 
from  Chicago  to  Puget's  Sound,  with  a  branch 
to  San  Francisco.  Situated  ia  the  cei.tre  of  one 


41 


ol  ihc  most  extensive  and  the  ii.  hest  agricultuial 
regions  in  the  woild;  at  the  head  of  our  magnifi- 
cent inland  sea?,  mid  holding  the  key  to  their 
romiiieice  oil  each  side  for  fifteen  hundred  miles ; 
with  the  ccitainty  that  she  must  become  the 
great  central  city  of  the  Continent,  where  the 
productions  of  Asia,  Kurope  and  America  must 
concentrate  for  exchange  and  distribution 
throughout  the  Mississippi  Valley,  with  unri- 
valled facilities  for  manufi'Ctoi ies  of  all  kinds; 
md  with  i  ail  toads  centeiing  here  fioai  every 
principal  city  upon  the  Continent,  he  must  be 


dull  indeed  who  can  predict  anything  but  a  glo- 
rious future  for  the  Garden  City.  We  have 
given  but  the  outlines  of  the  picture :  time,  we 
ate  satisfied,  will  fill  it  up  with  colois  more  vivid 
and  glorious  than  the  most  sanguine  imagination 
would  dare  now  to  contemplate.  The  results  of 
the  past  seventeen  years  are  now  matters  of  his- 
tory, and  we  leave  the  editors  of  the  Democratic 
PTCXK  in  187  I  to  prepare  the  reco-d — may  we  be 
spared  to  do  it — of  what  the  next  seventeen 
yeais  shall  accomplish. 


MANUFACTURES,  BANKING,  ETC. 


THE  River  and  Harbor  Convention,  which  com- 
menced its  sessions  in  this  city  on  the  5th  of 
July,  1847,  gave  the  second  great  and  perma- 
nent impulse  to  Chicago.  After  the  disastrous 
speculating  mania  of  1836-'7,  the  city  gradually 
sank  in  public  favor  till  1842,  when  the  lowest 
point  was  reached,  and  business  began  to  revive. 
The  progress  of  the  city,  however,  was  slow,  till 
ita  advantages  were  in  some  measure  appreciated 
and  made  known  by  the  intelligent  statesmen  and 
business  men  from  every  part  of  the  Union,  who 
were  present  at  that  Convention.  To  the  edi- 
tors who  were  present  is  Chicago  specially  in- 
debted for  extending  a  knowledge  of  her  com- 
mercial position.  The  opening  of  the  Illinois 
and  Michigan  Canal,  in  the  spring  of  1848,  gave 
a  marked  impetus  to  our  trade,  and  tended  still 
farther  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  country  to 
the  Garden  City.  On  the  22d  of  January,  1850, 
the  Galena  Rai'.road  was  opened  forty  two  and  a 
half  miles  to  Elgin,  and  in  a  very  few  mouths 
demonstrated  the  important  fact,  that,  owing  to 
the  cheapness  with  which  railroads  could  be 
constructed  in  Illinois,  they  would  pay  a  large 
dividend  to  the  stockholders.  Eastern  capitalists 
paw  that  the  Mississippi  Valley  was  the  place  to 
make  profitable  investments,  and  in  1851  the 
charter  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  turned  the 
attention  of  the  whole  Union  to  Chicago,  and 
made  her  future  pre-eminence  no  longer  doubt- 
ful. The  completion  of  the  Michigan  Southern 
and  the  Michigan  Central  Railroads  in  1852, 
added  much  to  the  prosperity  of  the  city;  and 
the  commencement  of  the  Rock  Island  Railroad 
'oi  the  spring  of  the  same  year,  its  rapid  progress 


and  immense  business,  and  the  fact  that  Chieigo 
ia  one  of  the  greatest  railroad  centres  in  tVm 
country,  have  all  tended  to  increase  our  popula 
tion  at  the  rate  of fifty-scuen  per  cent,  during  the 
past  year — a  ratio  never  before  witnessed  in  the 
United  States,  except  in  California. 

With  these  improvements  there  has  been  a 
corresponding  change  in  the  business  of  the  city. 
In  the  fall  of  1847,  when  we  first  saw  Chicago, 
the  business  of  our  merchants  was  confined 
mainly  to  the  retail  trade.  The  produce  that 
was  shipped  from  this  port  was  all  brought  to 
the  city  by  teams.  Some  of  them  would  come 
a  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  Farmers  would  bring 
in  a  load  of  grain,  and  take  back  supplies  for 
themselves  and  their  neighbors.  Often  has  it 
happened  that  they  would  get  "sloughed,"  or 
break  their  wagons ;  and  between  the  expense 
of  repairs  and  hotel  chargas,  they  would  find 
themselves  in  debt  when  they  got  home.  Dur 
ing  the  "business  season"  the  city  would  b«> 
crowded  with  teams.  We  have  seen  Water  and 
Lake  streets  almost  impassable  for  hours  to- 
gether. The  opening  of  the  canal  in  1848  made 
considerable  change  in  the  appearance  of  the 
city,  and  when  the  Galena  Railroad  was  finished 
to  Elgin,  tho  difference  was  very  striking.  The 
most  of  those  old  familiar  teams  ceased  to  visit 
us,  and  we  heard  some  few  merchants  gravolj? 
express  the  opinion  that  the  canal  and  railroads 
would  ruin  the  city.  The  difference  they  have 
mado  is  simply  that  between  a  small  and  a  large 
business ;  between  a  retail  and  a  wholesale  trade. 
One  of  the  principal  Jewelry  and  Gold  and  Silver 
establishments  in  the  citv  in  1845  did  a  busino.«s 


of  f  3,000  ;  last  year  the  same  house  sold  goods 
to  the  amount  of  $120,000.  Drug  stores,  whose 
sales  eight  years  ago  were  from  five  to  six  thou- 
sand dollars,  now  do  a  business  of  from  fifty  to  a 
hundred  thousand.  The  Hardware,  Dry  Goods 
tad  Grocery  business  will  show  similar,  and  some 
of  them  still  more  remarkable  results.  We  have 
made  repeated  cliorts  to  get  at  the  exact  figures 
in  each  departs  icnt  of  trade,  that  we  might 
make  comparison  between  the  last  and  pre- 
ceding years,  but  we  are  sorry  to  say  that  many 
of  our  merchants  are  very  reluctant  to  give  us 
any  figures,  lest  the  extent  of  the  commerce  of 
Chicago  should  become  known,  and  merchants 
from  other  cities  should  come  here  and  divide 
their  profits.  A  more  narrow-minded,  injurious 
policy,  in  our  judgment,  could  not  be  adopted. 

The  transactions  in  produce,  since  the  open- 
ing of  the  canal  and  railroads,  make  but  little 
show  in  the  streets,  but  they  are  immense.  We 
can  name  five  houses,  each  of  whose  business 
foots  up  to  from  eight  hundred  thousand  to  a 
million  and  a  half  of  dollars  per  year.  To  see 
these  gentlemen  in  the  evening,  quietly  chatting 
on  the  state  of  the  markets,  at  the  Tremont,  one 
would  hardly  suspect  that  their  purchases  for  the 
day  had  amounted  to  five  or  ten,  and  sometimes 
perhaps  to  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

We  have  some  interesting  facts  and  figures  to 
present,  and  commence  with 

REAL  ESTATE. 

The  appreciation  in  the  value  of  Real  Estate  in 
Chicago  is  truly  amazing.  To  those  who  have 
always  lived  in  towns  and  cities  on  the  seaboard, 
that  were  "finished"  before  they  were  born,  the 
facts  we  are  about  to  give  will  be  scarcely  cred- 
ible. They  are,  however,  plain,  sober  truths, 
which,  if  any  one  doubts,  he  can  verify  at  his 
leisure.  Real  Estate  in  Chicago  now  has  a  posi- 
tive business  value,  below  which  it  will  never  be 
likely  to  sink,  unless  some  great  calamity  should 
hofall  the  whole  country. 

Like  all  Western  cities,  Chicago  has  bad  her 
reverses.  In  1835-'6  Real  Estate  had  a  fictitious 
value.  The  whole  country  was  mad  with  the 
spirit  of  speculation.  When  the  crash  came,  in 
the  latter  part  of '37,  hundreds  in  this  city  found 
themselves  bankrupt  Real  Estate  went  down 
to  a  very  low  figure,  reaching  "  bottom"  in  1842. 
Since  then,  it  has  been  steadily  rising  with  the 
increasing  prosperity  of  the  country,  and  if  the 
judgment  of  oiu-  mout  cautious,  far-peeing  busi- 
ness men  can  be  trusted,  it  will  never  be  any  less. 
That  judgment  is  b;ised  upon  an  array  of  facts, 


the  accuracy  and  influence  of  which,  upon  tho 
growth  of  Chicago,  cannot  be  doubted.  In  only 
one  year  from  the  first  of  January  next,  we  shall 
have  four  thousand  miles  of  railroad  centering  in 
this  city,  counting  in  most  cases  their  extension 
only  in  a  single  State  beyond  our  own ;  and  what 
is  of  more  importance,  they  penetrate  one  of  the 
finest  agricultural  regions  that  can  be  found  in 
any  country.  By  that  time  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie 
caual  will  be  done — opening  to  our  commerce 
the  rich  mines  of  Lake  Superior.  The  iron  and 
the  copper  of  that  region  will  here  meet  the  coal 
from  our  State,  and  build  up  the  most  extensive 
manufactories  upon  the  Continent  One  of  the 
finest  canals  in  the  world  connects  us  with  the 
Illinois  and  Mississippi  rivers ;  and  in  addition  to 
all  this,  Chicago  holds  the  key  to  the  commerce 
of  our  magnificent  lakes,  giving  us  a  coasting 
trade,  when  Lake  Superior  is  opened  to  us  by 
the  Ste.  Marie  Canal,  of  three  thousand  mile?. 
The  most  sagacious  statesmen,  and  the  ablest 
commercial  men  in  this  country  and  in  Europe 
have,  therefore,  a  broad  basis  for  the  opinion 
that  Chicago  is  soon  to  take  rank  among  the 
three  largest  cities,  and  ere  long  as  the  second 
city  upon  the  American  Continent 

The  rise  in  Real  Estate,  ami  the  prices  at 
which  it  is  now  sold  in  view  of  such  facts,  are 
easily  explained.  The  following  table,  made  up 
from  the  records  of  the  original  sales  in  this  city, 
will  be  found  very  interesting.  The  last  column, 
showing  the  present  value  of  property,  is  the 
average  of  the  prices  at  which  they  would  now 
sell,  as  given  us  by  three  of  our  oldest  and  most 
reliable  real  estate  houses  in  this  city.  Many  of 
the  owners,  we  presume,  would  not  sell  at  these 
figures,  and  we  have  no  doubt  should  any  of 
this  property  be  put  in  the  market,  it  would 
readily  command  at  least  the  estimated  value 
given  in  the  table.  The  price  of  "  the  lands'1 
may  appear  enotmous,  but  four  of  the  parcel* 
are  now  in  the  thickly  inhabited  parts  of  the  city, 
and  the  valuation  is  probably  below  rather  than 
above  the  mark. 


FIRST  PURCHASER. 

DESCRIPTION  OF 
LOTS. 

BLK 

ORIOIS'L 
PKirc. 

PRMfcNT 
VALCH. 

Srp*.  37.  18tt: 

B  B.  Keiclifval 

Nos.fi  and  6 

£9 

*1f.9  OP 

$2  '.SCO 

Mark  Be:-ubifn. 

3  and  4 

3i 

llfl.U 

1C  8.00* 

Thomas  Hartzell 
do          do 

1 

2  I 
29  i 

.115.00 

63.7&0 

do          do 

2H 

35.(0 

li'.CO 

Edmund  pobertB& 

Peter  Men;ird. 

4 

y* 

10  .00 

U.0«0 

Mivund  Rohertu 

9 

'8 

4*.<« 

40.  W 

"William  Jrwett 

5  :in  1  6 

28 

21.00 

17,0vi 

James  Klntif.. 

5«7K 

") 

ilo           do 

83578 

2  ( 

418.00 

1SUC9 

do          rio 

8  ami  5 

40 

J.  B.  Heaubien 

7 

|hl 

do 

1278 

17 

do 

V~.'i 

18  r 

346.0 

400.0.'* 

rto 

| 

35 

do 

3  and  4 

3*j 

John  Kinzie  

«                1201 

i'lo 

6  and  8 

2 

* 

1  9.0  1 

1630(0 

978 

, 

Alex'iW  WVc'Vu! 

12.i43678 

J 

(  R-.  <  II 

trs.'H)1 

TIL.  ,;..,  Ky  .11  .... 

2 

0 

4-i.O  ' 

3..0  u 

Srpt    :«   18  ii  : 

Sttuiitui   \l  ,«:k.... 

7  and  6 

43 

S3.00 

o7.(Klil 

A.,ri,  :t   18  2: 

Tli.M.  .).  V.  0*en. 

6 

9 

39." 

41   «' 

Oliver   XcariiiM-ry. 

4 

'.i 

78.U 

»>,  Oil 

d. 

4 

17 

4i.  -0 

Jes*e  It   lir.inrne.. 

3 

i' 

id'  (I 

•>.  0 

James  Kinzie  

H 

I) 

94.'" 

18   •" 

P.  K   \V   I'.-o*  

4 

18 

SMI 

April   .  I8r2: 

1 

T.  J.V.  Ow^nan.l 

5 

0(»  ) 

K.  J.  Hamilton.. 

8 

II 

1  7U.'l 

JOHN  \uble  

I 

Mi 

fi  .(1 

ig,U  U 

do           

i 

,1 

8:.-' 

10  .'Ml 

Huzh  Walker  '.'.'.'. 

6 

31 

61.11- 

»•..  o 

Sept.  3.  16-ii: 

O.Goss,  W.nh.co.. 

Vi  

2 

5d 

70.00 

1  '  (  *y  u 

D^o  4.  18  !i: 

Ci.ivm  It  twlcv,... 

4 

38 

£3.0 

50,00 

S  p     i  .  18  0:                    so.  ACRRS. 

Thos.  H  .rtull.  W  hf,  N.  K.  qr.  Sec.  9. 

Town  89  X..  «an*e  14  E  8 

121.'  0 

80  ,0'Xi 

IdjttUll  1       i.b--rts   iiivl     Hfiiiiiina    It 

K.-rclieval   W.  l.f.  N.  W.  qr.  .-ec.  9. 

T.39   It  14  K  ..  80 

100  00 

4  0,0  0 

Sept.  28.  '8i   : 

Jiimes  Kinzie,   E.  hf.  N.  W  qr.  Sec.  9. 

T  39.  N.  K  14  81 

14)09 

6uO,  CO 

Sept..  29.  18<  . 

J.  n.  H;->iubi?n.  N  hf.  N.  E.  qr.  *?c.  9. 

T.   9V..     .14E  84  98-  00 

424.9' 

K5.0P.O 

J.  B.  Beiiuhi^n.  M.  \V   frao'l  N.  W.  qr 

Sec.   9,  T.  39  N,.  R.  14  E....1.7  w>-  0 

63  '.3  > 

132  0"0 

Total  

•4.-H  2« 

3  77  .Wtl» 

Tliere  is,  we  believe,  but  one  of  the  above  lot?, 
and  only  a  fraction  of  that,  which  is  now  in  the 
hands  of  the  original  pm  chaser.  That  is  the 
lot  owned  by  P.  F,  W.  Peck,  Esq.,  and  in 
reality  he  was  not  the  first  purchaser,  for  it  is 
the  same  lot  bought  by  Mr.  Peck  of  Mr.  Walker 
—  the  receipt  for  which  was  quoted  in  the  "  His- 
tory of  Chicago."  That  receipt  was  recognized 
by  the  Comrhissioner,  and  the  deed  was  made 
directly  to  Mr.  Peck. 

Our  citizens  have  all  noticed  the  splendid  drug 
store  of  J.  H.  Reed  &  Co.,  No.  144  Lake  street. 
The  day  it  was  opened,  October  2^,  1851,  we 
stood  in  front  of  the  store,  conversing  with  the 
owner  of  the  building,  Jeremiah  Price,  Ksq 
Pointing  to  one  of  the  elegant  windows,  said 
Mr.  Price:  "I  gave  $1<)0  in  N'ew  York  for  that 
centre  pane  of  French  plate  glass.  That  is  ex- 
actly what  I  paid  Mr.  J.  Noble  for  this  lot,  eighty 
feet  front,  on  a  part  of  which  the  store  stands, 
when  I  purchased  it  in  1838."  That  lot  cannot 
now  be  bought  for  $54,000.  Wolcott's  Addition, 
on  the  North  side,  was  bought  in  1830  for  $130. 
It  is  now  worth  considerably  over  one  and  a 


million  of  dollars.  Walter  L.  New 
berry,  Esq.,  bought,  the  forty  acres  which  forms 
his  addition  to  Chicago,  of  Thomas  Havtzcll,  <r 
1833,  for  $1,062.  It  is  now  worth  half  a  mil 
lion  of  dollars,  and  what  is  fortunate  for  Mr 
Newberry,  he  still  owns  by  far  the  largest  pai 
©f  the  prop?rty.  So  late  as  1834,  one  half  o 
Kinzie's  addition,  all  of  Wolcott'a  addition,  an 


11  of  block  1,  Original  Town,  were  sold  for 
;^f>,0  ID.  They  arc  now  worth,  at  a  lo*  csti- 
nate,  $3. noo.oiid.  Any  number  of  similar  iu- 
lances  might  be  giv<-n  of  the  iutuieiisu  apprecia- 
iou  of  Rciil  testate  iii  Chicago. 

From  the  g/eat  app  eciatioa  which  the-e 
iguies  show,  many  may  be  led  to  suppose  that 

more  money  can  be  made  oa  Heal  EdUte  in 

ica-io.  Exactly  the  reverse  is  true.  As  corn- 
ered with  their  original  co^t,  lots  near  the  ceii- 
re  of  the  city  cannot  be  expected  to  appreciate 

rapidly  as  in  years  past;  but  that  they  will 
teadily  advance,  there  can  scarcely  be  a  doubt 
jet  any  business  man  etudy  carefully  the  facta 
contained  ia  these  articles ;  let  him  remember 
hat  within  the  lifetime  of  thousands  who  read 
these  pages  Chicago  will  contain  her  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  people ;  and  then  let  him  calculate, 
f  he  has  the  courage,  what  Real  Estate  will  then 
>e  worth  in  the  commercial  centre  of  the  Missis- 
sippi Valley. 

The  following  table  exhibits  the  total  valua- 
tion of  real  and  personal  property  ia  Chicago, 
as  taken  from  the  Assessor's  books,  for  a  t-e:iea 
of  years.  It  must  be  remembered,  however, 
that  property  ia  assessed  at  far  balow  its  real 
value  : 


183'.), 

1,829,420     1S16, 

5,071,40-2 

'40, 

I,8ii4,205        '47, 

6,l8s»,335 

'-11, 

1,888,100        '48, 

9,086,000 

'42, 

2,325,240        '49, 

7,617,102 

'43, 

2,250,735        '50, 

8,liH,000 

'44, 

3,16H,94>        '51, 

9,431,828 

'45, 

3,669,124        '52, 

12,035,037 

1853, 


22,929,637 


The  following  shows  the  assessed  value  of  the 
different  kin'is  of  property  for  the  la-<t  year.  The 
lands  are  within  the  city  limits  ;  but  are  not  yet 
divided  into  lots  : 

Lands  ................................  $'.4*'."3) 

Lots  ....................................  12.997.977 

Personal  Property  ....................  4.4-  ,  :3  I 


Total 


It  will  be  noticed  that  the  value  of  property 
has  nearlv  doubled  in  the  year  1853.  This  fact 
correap6hfla  very  well  with  the  increase  of  popu- 
lation, that  being  Jifty-xeven  per  cent. 


CIIUR€iIE§. 

We  stated  in  our  History  that  the  Methodists 
were  the  pioneers  among  all  religious  sects  ia 


45 


Chicago-  They  were  represented  here  in  18*1- 
'2-'3  by  the  veteian  Missionary  preacher,  Jesse 
Walker.  The  first,  quarteily  mealing  was  held 
heie  in  the  Ml  of  1S33,  in  Vvatkiu'a  .ichoolhouae. 
The  building  stood  on  the  southwest  corner  of 
CLtk  and  Old  North  Water  street*.  There  were 
present  at  that  meeting—  John  Sinclair,  presiding 
elder;  Father  Walker,  missionary  ;  William  See 
and  William  Whitehead,  local  pieachers;  Clias. 
Wisencraft,  Mrs.  R  J.  Hamilton  and  Mrs.  Har- 
mon. In  the  spring  of  ib3-l  the  first  regular 
class  was  foimed.  Father  Walker  h.id  previously 
built  a  log  church  at  "the  I'o:;;t,"  which  had 
been  occupied  for  holding  meetings  for  a  year  or 
two.  Soon  after  the  cluss  was  lonned  in  the 
spring  cf  1834,  a  small  fniine  church  was  built 
npon  North  Water  street,  between  Dearborn  niid 
Claik  Btieets  The  lot  on  which  die  church  now 
stand.-*,  corner  of  Claik  and  Washington  streets, 
was  purchased  in  18:56,  and  in  the  summer  of 
1838  the  church  was  moved  ;:croea  the  river  on 
ecowa,  Hi.d  pitted  upon  the  lot.  It  was  enlarged 
several  times,  to  accommodate  the  increasing 
congregation.  The  present  chut  ch  WHS  built  in 
the  summer  of  1846. 

The  First  I'resbyteiian  is  the  oldest  church  in 
the  city.  It  was  organized  on  the  26Ui  of  June, 
1833,  by  ita  first  pastor,  Rev.  Jeroniit.  i  Purler, 
now  of  Green  Bay.  Mr.  Porter  was  chcplain  ol 
a  detarhment  cf  U.  S.  tioo|ts,  who  came  here 
from  Green  Bay  early  in  that  year.  When  or- 
ganized, it  conwL-tk-d  of  twenty  -five  members  ol 
the  Ganison.  Tlio  iiamus  of  the  citi/^ns  who 
united  with  it  were  : 


ate  Bishop  Quarter,  and  consecrated  by  Lia 
•rtvii.ber  6th,  i54-i. 

iSi.  James  is  the  oldest  Episcopal  chinch  in  tho 
ity.  li  was  organized  in  ib«>4.  I  he  following 
ere  CLe  iLoi 


„.  , 
" 


JOHN  WEIGHT, 
PHILO  CAKPKvr 
Kufus  Browa,  Mi«.  Elizabeth  Brown, 

John  8.  Wright,  .Mary  Taylor, 

J.  H.  Poor,  E.  Clark, 

Mrs.  Cynthia  Brown. 

Ten  churches  have  since  been  organized  in 
whole  or  in  part  from  this  church.  It  is  new  in 
a  very  flourishing  condition  under  the  pastora 
care  of  Rev.  II.  Curtis. 

The  first  Catholic  church  in  Chicago  WB.R  but! 
by  Rev.  Mr.  Schofter,  in  the  yeaw  1883-'4.  I 
was  located  somewhere  in  State  street  It  now 
stands  in  the  rear  of  St.  Mary's  Cathedra],  ar.d  i 
used  by  the  Sisters  of  Mercy  as  a  school  room 
St.  Mary's  is  the  oldest  Catholic  church  in  th 
city.  It  was  opened  for  divine  service  on  th 
26th  of  December,  1843.  Its  pastors  then  wer 
Rev'da  Fischer  and  Saint  Pailate,  now  Bishop  o 
Tincennea.  The  house  was  completed  by  th 


Peter  Johnson, 
Mrs.  P.  Johimo'i, 

Mia,  Juliette  A.  Kiuzie  (wife  of  J.  II.  Kinric, 
:sq), 

Airs.  Francis  W.  llagill, 
H:B.  Nancy  Hall  am, 
Mrs.  Maigaret  iielui. 

The  first  Baptist  church  was  organized  by  Rev. 
A.  B.  Freeman,  on  the  19th  of  October,  1833- 
'he  following  were  its  first  meuabeis: 


Rev.  A.  B.  Freeman, 
S.  T.  Jackson, 
Martin  D.  Harmon, 
Peter  Moore, 
Nath'l  Carpenter, 
John  K.  Sargrnta, 
Peter  Waiden, 


Willard  Jones, 
Ebon  Ci-ane, 
Bamantha  Harmon, 
Lucinda  Jackson, 
Betsey  Crar.e, 
Hannah  C.  Fieeman, 
Susannah  liice. 


The  first  church  erected  by  this  society  wa« 
ilt  on  ^>orth  Water  street — tho  preciee  limo 
we  cannot  give.  In  1843-'4  the  society  built  a 
arge  brick  house  on  the  lot  now  owned  by  then) 
on  the  south  side  of  the  public  square.  It  was 
burnt  down  in  October,  185'2.  A  new  church  is 
now  in  process  of  erection,  whic:'u  will  codt  at 
least  $25,000. 

h-»  first  Sunday  School  in  Chicago  was  estab- 
I'mhed  by  Philo  Carpenter,  Eeq  ,  ar.d  Capt  John- 
son, in  August,  1832.  Mr.  Carpenter,  in  CO:E' 
pany  with  G.  W.  Snow,  Esq.,  arrived  here  on 
tho  30th  of  July,  1832.  The  school  was  first 
held  in  a  frame,  not  then  enclosed,  which  stood 
on  ground  a  short  dibtance  northeast  of  the  pre- 
ser.t  residence  of  Mrs.  John  Wright,  on  Michigan 
Avenue.  It  is  now  washed  away.  Ihe  nchooi 
consisted  of  thirteen  children.  It  was  held  dar- 
ing the  fall  of  that  year  and  the  next  season 
above  the  store  of  P.  F.  W.  Peck,  Esq.,  at  the 
southeast  corner  of  Lasalle  and  Water  streets. 
Rev.  Mr.  Porter  also  preached  in  the  same  place. 
In  the  fall  of  1832  Charles  Butler,  Esq.,  of  New 
York,  presented  the  Sunday  School  with  a 
libiary,  and  it  soon  increased  to  forty  or  fifty 
members. 

The  first  Congregational  cburcii  was  organized 
on  the  22d  of  May,  1851,  on  the  weet  side  of  the 
river. 

The  following  is  the  present 


list  of  Churches  and  Ministc-rs  In  Chicago. 

PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL. 

TRISITY  CHURCH— Madison,  near  Clark  street;  Rev 
W.  A.  Small  wood,  D.  D.,  rector. 

ST.  JAMES'  CHURCH— corner  of  Cass  and  Illinois  streets 
R.  H.  Clarkson,  rector. 

CHURCH  OK  THE  ATONKMCNT— corner  of  Washington  an< 
Green  streets,  west  side ;  Dudley  Chase,  rector. 

ST.  PAUL'S  FRER  CHAPEL— Sherman,  near  Harrison  st. 
J.  McNamara,  rector. 

GRACB  CHURCH— corner  of  Dearborn  and  Madison  sts. 
C.  B.  Swope,  rector. 

ST.  ANSQARIUS  CHURCH — corner  of  Indiana  and  Frank 
lin  streets;  Guatavus  Unonius,  rector. 

PRESBYTERIAN. 

FIRST  PRBSBYTKRIAN  CHURCH— corner  Clark  and  Wash 
ington  streets;  Harvey  Curtis,  pastor. 

SSCOND  PRSSBYTERIAN  CHURCH  —  corner  of  Wabash 
Avenue  and  Washington  streets;  R.  W.  Patterson 
pastor. 

THIRD  PRBSBYTBRIAK  CHURCH— Union  street,  between 
Randolph  and  Washington  streets.  West  Bide;  E.  W. 
Moore,  pastor. 

NORTH  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH— corner  of  Illinois  and 
Wolcott  streets.  North  side;  R.  H  Richardson,  pastor. 

REFORMED  PREsnYrRRUx  CHURCH— Fulton  street,  cor- 
ner Clinton  street.  West  side ;  A.  M.  Stewart,  pastor. 

CONGREGATION'  AL. 

FIRST  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH -Washington  street, 
between  Halsted  and  Union  streets.  West  Bide. 

PLYMOUTH  COSGRKOATIONAL  CHORCH— corner  Dearborn 
and  Madison  streets ;  N.  H.  Eisgleston,  pastor. 

NBW  ENGLAND  CUOKCH— corner  Wolcctt  and  Indiana 
streets;  J.  C.  Holbrook,  pastor. 

SOUTH  CONGKKO.VTIOSAL  CHURCH— There  is  preaching 
regularly  by  Key.  E.  P.  Dickenson,  at  the  church  near 
American  Car  Company's  Works,  at  half  past  10  o'clock, 
A.  M.,  every  Sabbath.  Alto  at  3.  P.  M..  at  the  New  Con- 
gregational Meeting  House,  corner  of  Clark  and  Taylor 
streets,  sear  the  S  'Uthern  Michigan  Railroad  Depot. 

LUTHERAN. 

NOTWKGHN  CnuRcn-Superior.  between  Wells  and  La- 
salle  streets;  Paul  Andersen,  pastor, 

GBRMAN  CHURCH-Lasalle,  between  Indiana  an*  Ohio 
streets;  J.  A.  Fisher,  pastor. 

GKRMAN  CHURCH— Indiana  street,  near  Weils;  Augus- 
tus Selle,  pastor. 


FIRST  CHURCH— Rnrned  down,  now  worshipping  in  the 
old  Presbyterian  Churoh,  on  Clark,  near  Madison  street ; 
<F.  0.  Burroughs,  pastor. 

TABERNACLR  CHURCH— Desplaincs,  tetwoen  Washing- 
ton and  Madison  streets.  West  side;  A.  Kenyon.  pastor. 

METHODIST   EPISCOPAL. 

CLARK  STRBKT  CHURCH— corner  Clark  and  Washington 
streets ;  J.  Clark,  pastor. 

INDIANA  STREET— bet  ween  Clark  and  Dearborn  streets; 
S,  Bolles,  pastor. 

JBFFBRSON  STRERT— between  Madison  and  Monroe sts. 
West  side ;  F.  H.  Gammon,  pastor. 

OW«N  STRBKT— corner  Owen  and  Peoria  streets.  West 
side ;  S.  Guyer,  pastor. 

CUSTOH  STREET— between  IV.::  and  Taylor  sts  .  West 
3:de. 

HARRJSOX  STRKBT  — near  State  street;  F,  A  Resd, 
MMMR 


G.-RM  AX—  Indiana  street,  between  Wells  and  La?*;  ; 
its.;  C.  Winz,  pastor. 

GBRJIAN—  Van  Buren  street,  corner  of  Griswold;  A 
Kellener,  pastor. 

METHODIST  PROTESTANT. 

MKTHODIST  PROTkSTANT  —  corner  of  Washington  and 
Jett'erson  streets  ;  Lewis  R.  Ellis,  pastor. 

CATHOLIC. 

CATUKDRAL  or  ST.  MARY's-corner  of  Madison  street 
and  Wabash  ivenue;  Piitrie  Thomas  MeElhearne  and 
Jumes  Fitzgerald,  pastors. 

ST.  PATRICK'S  —  aorner  Randolph  and  Dcsplainesstreei  ; 
Patrick  J.  McLaughlin,  pastor. 

HOLY  NAMB  of  JKSUS—  corner  Wolcott  and  Superior 
streets.  North  side;  Jeremiah  Kinsella,  pastor. 

ST.  PITER'S—  (German)—  Washington,  between  Frank 
lin  and  Wells  street;  G.  W-.  Plathe,  pastor. 

ST.  JOSEPH'S—  (German)—  corner  Cass  st.  and  Chicag> 
avenue.  North  Hide  ;  Anthony  Kopp,  pastor. 

ST.  LoDii—  (French)  -Clavk,  between  Adiims  and  Jack- 
son streets;  I.  A.  Lebsl,  pastor. 

ST.  MICHAEL'S—  corner  North  arenue  and  New  Church 
street;  E.  Kaiser,  pastor. 

ST.  FHAMCIS  ASBISICM  —  West  side;  J.  B.  Weicamp, 
pastor. 

NEW  JERUSALEM  —  SWKDENBOHGIAN. 

PLACK  OF  WoRsruv—  corner  of  Dearborn  and  Randoipti 
streets;  J.  E.  Uibbard,  pastor. 

UNITARIAN. 

UNITARIAN  CHUECH  --North  side  of  Waslviagton  gtr«n*, 
betweea  Clark  und  Dearborn  streets;  K.  11.  Shipp-iiv. 
pastor. 

UNIVER8ALIST. 


Usm.MALi8T  CBI.-RCH  —  South  side  of 
street,  between  Clark  and  Dearborn  streets;  I/.  B.  Mi 
son,  pastor.) 

'JEWISH. 

SYSAOOOPB—  Olark  street,  between  Adams  and  Quiac 
streets;  G.  Schneldacher,  pastor. 


SCHOOLS,  etc. 

The  common  Schools  of  Chicago  are  the  pride5, 
and  the  glory  of  the  city.  The  school  fund  is 
ample,  and  every  child  in  the  city  can  obtain  the 
elements  of  a  good  English  education  free  of 
charge.  We  have  now  six  large  Public  School 
idifices,  two  in  each  division  of  the  city.  Froai 
three  to  seven  hundred  children  are  daily  ga- 
hered  in  each. 

Besides  these,  we  have  a  large  number  of  pri- 
ratc  schools  and  seminaries,  where  those  who 
ish  can  educate  their  children. 

We  have  an  excellent  Commercial  College,  at 
he  head  of  which  is  Judge  Bell.  The  Catholics 
lave  a  College,  and  the  Methodists  are  also  about 
o  establish  and  endow  a  University.  We  have 
also  a  most  excellent  Medical  College. 


The  educational  facilities  of  Chicago  may  there- 
fore be  regarded  as  of  a  very  high  order. 


BASKS,  BANKING,  etc. 

Had  we  space  to  write  out  the  history  of 
Bulking  in  Illinois,  and  especially  in  Chicago,  it 
v-ould  present  some  interesting  topics  for  the 
contemplation  of  the  financier.  We  Lave  had 
t  wo  State  Banks.  The  first  was  established  early 
in  the  history  of  the  State,  and  though  the  most 
extravagant  expectations  were  entertained  of  its 
influence  for  good,  its  bills  soon  depreciated  very 
rapidly,  and  for  the  want  of  silver  change,  they 
were  torn  in  several  fragments  and  passed  for 
fractions  of  a  dollar.  It  soon  became  entirely 
worthless.  The  second  State  Bank  was  char- 
tered by  the  session  of  the  Legislature  in  the 
winter  of  '34-'5.  In  July  of  '35,  it  was  deter- 
mined to  establish  a  branch  here ;  but  it  was  not 
opened  till  December  of  that  year.  In  the  finan- 
cial embarrassments  of  '37,  the  bank  stopped 
specie  payment,  but  continued  business  till  '41, 
when  it  finally  suspended.  For  the  ten  succeed- 
ing years  we  had  no  banks  of  any  kind  in  the 
State.  These  were  dark  days  for  Illinoia  She 
annually  paid  banking  institutions  of  other  States 
immense  sums  of  money  in  the  shape  of  interest 
for  all  the  currency  she  used. 

Tired  tf  this  system,  a  general  banking  law, 
modeled  after  that  of  New  York,  was  passed,  and 
on  the  3d  of  January,  '53,  the  Marine  Bank  in 
this  city  commenced  business.  The  law  is  re- 
garded as  rather  too  stringent  by  our  bankers, 
and  hence  they  do  not  procure  bills  for  a  tithe  of 
the  capital  they  employ.  The  following  table 
.''hows  the  number  of  banks  in  this  city,  and  the 
amount  of  bills  they  have  in  circulation  : 

BAKKS.  .BILLS  IN  CIRC'H. 

Exchange  Bank  of  H.  A.  Tucker  &  Co $50,009 

Marine  Bank JW.OOO 

Bank  of  America 50,000 

Chicaxo  Bank 150,000 

Commercial  Bank 56.00'J 

Fanners'  Bank 60.000 

Union  B  nk ; 75.'00 

Merchants' and  Mechanics' Bank 54,700 

Ci ty  B  ank 60,000 

The  capital  of  these  banks  is,  in  some  instances, 
half  a  dozen  times  the  amount  of  their  circula- 
tion. The  banking  capital  actually  employed  to 
do  the  business  of  the  city  must  amount  to  sev- 
eral millions,  and  yet  so  rapid  is  the  increase  of 
trade,  that  money  within  the  last  six  years  has 
never  borne  less  than  ten  per  cent,  interest. 
This  is  the  legal  rate  established  by  the  laws  of 


Illinois.  Most  of  the  time  money  can  be  louieri 
from  one  to  two  per  cent,  per  month,  by  those 
who  are  willing  to  take  advantage  of  the  oppor- 
tunities which  are  constantly  offering.  We  pre- 
sume that  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  could 
be  safely  invested  at  any  time  within  a  week  or 
two,  at  the  legal  rate  of  interest.  We  have  never 
seen  the  money  market  of  Chicago  fully  supplied 
at  the  regular  legal  rate,  viz ;  ten  per  cent,  per 
annum. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  private  bankers 
and  brokers  doing  business  in  Chicago : 

R.  K.  SWIFT,  J.  M.  ADSIT, 

JONES  &  PATRICK,          F.  G.  ADAMS  &  Co., 
SHELDON  &  Co.  N.  C.  HOE  &  Co., 

DAVISSON,  McCjU.LA  <fe  Co. 

E,    H     Hl'XTINGTON  &    CO. 

Several  of  these  firms  are  doing  a  large  busi- 
ness. K.  K.  Swift  is  doing  a  very  extensive  bu- 
siness in  foreign  exchange,  and  has  arrangement? 
to  draw  on  every  principal  city  in  this  country 
and  Europe. 

We  have  tried  to  obtain  the  figures  showing 
the  actual  amount  of  exchange  drawn  on  New 
York  and  other  American  cities,  and  the  cities 
of  Europe ;  but  some  of  our  Lackers,  like  a  por- 
tion of  our  buainess  men,  are  unwilling  to  furnirti 
such  facts,  lest,  as  we  infer,  other  capitalists 
should  scud  their  money  here  for  investment. 
Their  narrow  policy,  we  trust,  will  be  of  no  avail 
in  that  regard,  for  they  will  always  have  as  much 
business  as  they  can  possibly  do ;  and  the  fact 
that  the  legal  rate  of  interest  is  ten  per  cent., 
and  that  the  money  market  has  never  yet  been 
fully  supplied,  together  with  the  certainty  that 
Chicago  will  not  be  "finished"  for  the  next  cen- 
tury at  least,  will  induce  a  still  larger  numbef  of 
Eastern  capitalists  to  invest  their  money  in  Chi- 
cago. There  is  not  in  the  wide  world  a  city 
that  furnishes  opportunities  for  safer  investments 
than  Chicago — whether  the  money  is  employed 
in  banking  operations,  or  is  loaned  on  real  estate 
securitv. 


PRICE  OF  LABOR. 

In  a  city  growing  as  rapidly  as  Chicago,  labor 
is  always  in  demand.  Especially  is  this  true 
where  every  department  of  business  is  equally 
active  and  increasing.  In  dull  times,  and  in 
cities  which  have  passed  the  culminating  point 
of  their  prosperity,  master  mechanics  can  select 
their  journeyme",  and  do  somewhat  as  they 
wish.  For  the  last  year  or  two,  so  great  has 
been  the  demand  for  labor,  that  those  who 


worked  by  the  day  or  week  were  the  real  mas- 
ters, tor  good  mechanics  could  command  almost 
any  price  the}1  chose  to  ask. 

The  following  table,  carefully  prepared,  ahows 
the  price  now  usual  y  paid  to  journeyman  in  this 
city.  The  range  is  large,  but  it  id  not  wider  than 
the  difference  in  the  »Kiil  and  capacity  of  differ- 
ent men  in  every  occupation. 


O  CO  PATIOS. 

UM.VUS  HKH 
WAD'S   P.'-S  W    hX  A.NDKiK 
BiY.         jPlrt    K  AND  JOB 
WOKK. 

Biauksmiihtj  ami  Iron  work'i> 

•  l.JNi2.»> 

iO«'.tl  "H 
1.1)  :»:>.0 
1.2  ai.  i 
1  ;  e.d.O 

UhfatiMp 

&U  8 
9a  8 
H.i  * 

ISsi.O 

Dt.y  Laborers  

1  W.%1.50 

l.-'5,il.75 

Manias  M  ikergantl  6aUaierd 
ftlAstmduml  l'i*-«lerer»  

1  Suai  OD 
1.7  «.-  0.) 
l.  •  »;.  o 

tidila 

vilis 

lidis 

fi'al1? 
81  5 
7a  1 
lOalti 

!U13 

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OH  1C  AGO  WATJBK  WORKS. 

A  supply  of  pure  water  is  essential  to  the 
health,  and  therefore  to  the  prosperity  of  any 
city.  The  citizens  of  Chicago  have  great  reason 
to  congratulate  themselves  upon  the  near  com- 
pletion of  one  of  the  finest  specimens  of  engi- 
neering that  can  be  found  in  any  city.  The 
Chicago  Water  Works  will  very  soon  be  the 
pride  of  all  our  citizens.  No  better  water  can 
be  found  than  Lake  Michigan  affords  ;  and 
increased  health  and  blessings  without  num- 
ber will  attend  its  introduction  throughout  the 
city. 

We  are  indebted  to  K.  Willard  Smith.  Esq., 
resident  engineer,  for  the  following  description 
of  the  works : 

The  water  is  taken  from  Lake  Michigan  at 
the  foot  of  Chicago  Avenue.  A  timber  crib 
twenty  by  forty  feet  is  sunk  six  hundred  feet 
from  shore.  From  this  crib  a  wooden  inlet  pipe 
thirty  inches  interior  diameter,  laid  in  a  trench 
in  the  bottom  of  the  lake,  conveys  the  water  to 
the  pump-well.  This  well  is  placed  under  the 
Engine  House.  The  end  of  the  inlet  pipe  is  of 
iron,  and  bends  down  to  the  bottom  of  the  well, 
•which  is  twenty-five  feet  deep,  and  at  ordinary 


stages  of  the  water  in  the  Like  contains  fotu- 
teen  feet  of  w^ter.  Tue  pipe  acts  as  a  sypho;i 
The  water  flows  by  ite  own  gravity  iuu>  the 
well,  whence  it  is  drawn  by  thu  pumping  en- 
gine and  forced  into  the  mams,  aatl  tiience  into 
Uie  iiuiwrvoir  intiie  aouth  Division,  from  which 
it  is  distributed  into  the  distribution  pipes  i:i 
the  various  parts  of  uie  city. 

ENGINE. 

The  .Engine  is  located  in  the  main  building. 
It  was  built  at  the  Alorgan  iron  Works,  in 
^ew  YorK,  ana  us  u  tinst  ciass  engine,  low  pres- 
sure, of  two  hundred  horse  power,  its  cylinder 
«s  forty-four  inches  in  diameter,  and  has  a  pib- 
tou  with  a  n,ue  feet  stroke.  The  Uy  wheel  is 
an  immense  casting  of  iron,  twenty-lour  feet  in 
diameter,  and  weighing  twenty-four  thousand 
pounds.  The  working  beam  is  of  cast  iron, 
tiurty  feet  long  and  four  feet  duep.  It  is  sup- 
ported by  a  hollow  iron  column  instead  of  tht- 
usual  gallows  fiaiiie,  four  feet  iu  diameter,  and 
forming  also  au  air  vessel  for  the  condenser. 
Tiiere  are  two  wattr  pumps,  one  on  each  isitk 
of  this  centre  column,  of  thirty-four  inches  bore, 
six  lest  stroke.  Tiiese  pumps  are  furnisLe-d 
\vith  composition  valves.  The  boiler,  which  ie 
located  in  the  north  wing  of  the  building,  is  a 
marine  bo.ler  of  the  largest  sise,  being  thirty 
feet  long  aud  nine  feet  in  diameter,  furnished 
with  an  admirable  arrangement  of  rlues,  and 
possessing  an  extraordinary  strength  of  draught 
I  he  consumption  of  coal  by  the  boiler  iis  very 
small,  and  it  proves  very  economical.  Th,e 
engine  was  put  up  under  the  care  and  direc- 
tion of  Mr.  JJeWitt  U.  Cregicr,  the  steam  en- 
gineer of  the  company.  The  cost  of  the  engine 
was  only  twenty-five  thousand  dollars.  Thit; 
engine  is  capable  of  furnishing  over  thaee  mil- 
lion gallons  daily,  which  is  a  «upply  for  one 
hundred  thousand  persons. 

DUPLICATE  ENGINE. 

At  the  opposite  end  of  the  main  building  is 
a  duplicate  engine,  of  about  one  half  nf  the 
power  of  the  other,  which  is  kept  in  reserve  in 
case  of  any  breakage  or  accident  happening  to 
the  other.  This  engine  was  manufactured  bt 
H.  P.  Moses,  of  this  city  ;  it  is  a  non-condens- 
ing or  high-pressure  engine.  The  engine  pump 
works  horiEcntally,  on  a  heavy  cast-iron  bed 
plate,  supported  by  masonry.  The  steam  cy- 
linder is  eighteen  inches  internal  diameter,  with 
a  piston  of  she  feet  stroke.  The  pump  is  dou- 
ble acting,  and  of  the  same  diameter  and  stroke 
as  the  steam  cylinder  and  piston  ;  it  is  placed 
behind  the  stcanr  cylinder.  The  steam  piston 


through  both  beads  of  the  steam  cylin- 
der, one  end  connecting  with  the  pump,  and 
the  other  with  the  crank  or  fly  wheel.  The 
fly  wheel  is  an  iron  casting,  12  feet  in  diameter. 

ENGINE    HOUSE. 

The  Engine  House  is  built  of  brick  mason- 
ry, in  the  modern  Italian  style.  The  main 
building  is  fifty-four  feet  front  and  thirty-four 
:  deep,  with  a  wing  on  each  side,  each  forty - 
I'our  feet  front  and  thirty -four  feet  deep. 

The  main  building  is  carried  up  two  stories 
high,  making  an  elevation  of  thirty  feet  above 
'he  principal  floor.  The  wings  are  one  story 
high. 

The  roof  is  composed  of  wiought  iron  trusses 
-covered  with  zinc  plates. 

In  the  centre  of  the  froat  of  the  main  build- 
ing a  Tower  is  constructed,  fourteen  feet  square 
at  the  base,  and  one  hundred  and  forty  feet  in 
height,  surrounded  by  an  ornamental  cornice  of 
metal.  This  tower  forms  a  striking  feature  of 
the  building.  It  also  serves  as  a  chimney  for 
both  boilers,  and  also  has  a -chamber  in  the  cen- 
tre, separated  from  the  smoke  flues,  in  which 
is  placed  the  standing  column. 

RESERVOIR    BUILDING. 

This  building  is  two  stories  high.  The  prin- 
pi'incipal  floor  is  placed  three  feet  above  the 
surface  of  the  street.  The  exterior  for  the  first 
story,  (fifteen  feet  above  the  principal  floor,)  is 
made  of  cut  stone,  with  rustic  joints,  surmount- 
ed by  a  cut  stone  string  course.  The  second 
story  is  faced  with  pressed  brick  aud  rustic 
quoins  of  cut  stone.  The  architraves  of  the 
doors  and  windows  are  of  cut  stone.  The  main 
cornice  is  of  cast  iron,  projecting  four  feet  from 
the  face  of  the  wall,  and  supported  by  orna- 
mental cast  iron  console*. 

This  cornice  forms  a  balcony,  which  is  sur- 
Tounded  by  an  ornamental  iron  railing. 

The  tank  is  supported  by  a  brick  column  and 
brick  arches,  and  is  capable  of  holding  five 
hundred  thousand  gallons  of  water. 

The  building  when  completed-,  with  the  tank, 
will  be  about  ninety  feet  in  height.  This  tank 
is  designed  to  hold  only  a  night  supply  for  fifty 
thousand  inhabitants.  As  the  population  of  the 
;;ity  increases,  it  is  proposed  to  erect  similar 
-eservoir  buildings,  with  tanks,  &c.,  in  each 
division.  The  surface  of  water  in  the  tank 
will  be  eighty-three  feet  above  the  Lake.  The 
'reservoir  is  situated  immediately  south  of  Ad- 
-  street  and  west  of  Clark. 

KIVER   PIPES. 

The  river  pipes  conveying  the  water  across 
the  river  are  made  of  boiler  iron  plates,  riveted 


together,  awd  are  twelve  inches  in  interior  diam- 
eter. About  thirty  miles  of  distribution  and 
main  pipes  are  laid  in  the  streets,  extending 
over  a  large  portion  of  the  city — connecting 
with  one  hundred  and  sixteen  fire  hydrants  at 
at  the  corners  of  the  streets. 

STANDING    COLUMN, 

The  standing  column  is  a  cast  iron  pipe, 
twenty-four  inches  in  diameter,  placed  vertical- 
ly in  the  engine  house  tower.  It  is  connected 
with  the  pumps  and  main  pipes,  and  serves  as 
a  regulator  in  keeping  up  a  uniform  head  of 
water  in  the  reservoirs. 

OFFICERS, 

The  present  Board  of  Water  Commissioners 
consis  of  John  B,  Turner,  and  Alson  S.  Sher- 
man, Esqrs.  Horatio  G,  Loomis,  Esq.  has  late- 
ly tendered  his  resignation  of  the  office  of  Wa- 
ter Commissioner,  and  his  successor  is  John 
0.  Haines,  Esq.  William  J.  McAlpine,  Esq. 
is  the  Ciiief  Engineer  of  the  Water  Works, 
and  Mr.  E.  Willard  Smith,  Resident  Engineer  ; 
Mr.  Benjamin  F.  Walker,  Superintendent ;  Mr. 
Henry  Tucker,  Treasurer,  and  Mr.  De  Witt  C. 
Cregier,  Steam  Engineer. 

It  is  proper  to  say  in  this  connection  that  the 
plans  for  the  Water  Works  were  furnished  by 
Mr.  McAlpine,  and  the  architectural  designs  for 
the  several  buildings  above  described,  by  Mr. 
S  tnith. 

The  cost  of  the  work  will  be  three  hundred  and 
sixty  thousand  dollars.  The  same  work  would 
now  cost  four  hundred  and  twenty  thousand 
dollars. 

The  works  are  now  calculated  to  supply  a 
population  of  fifty  thousand  persons  with  thirty 
gallons  of  water  each  every  twenty -four  hours, 
which  is  equal  'to  one  million  five  hundred 
thousand  gallows  daily.  The  work  is  so  plan- 
ned as  to  be  easily  extended  to  meet  the  wants 
of  one  hundred  thousand  population  by  laying 
more  pipe,  and  building  more  Reservoirs. 


Break-Water  and  Depot  Build- 
ings o€  tbe  III.  Central  R.  R. 

This  great  work  commences  at  the  South 
Pier,  four  hundred  feet  inside  of  its  extreme 
east  end  and  extends  south  one  thousand  two 
hundred  and  fifty-seven  feet  into  the  Lake, 
thence  west  six  hundred  and  seventy-five  feet 
on  the  North  line  of  Randolph  street,  thence 
south-west  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  thence  to 
a  point  opposite  the  American  Car  Factory, 
making  fourteen  thousand  three  hundred  and 
seventy-seven — in  all  sixteen  thousand  four 


hundred  and  fifty -nine  feet.  Fram  the  Pier  to 
the  Engine  house  the  break-water  is  twelve 
feet  wide  ;  thence  down  to  the  Car  Company's 
works  half  that  width.  The  upper  portion  of 
the  crib  work  is  built  of  square  timber  twelve 
by  twelve,,  locked  together  every  ten  feet,  and 
the  intermediate  space  filled  by  stone,  piles 
being  driven  on  the  outside  to  keep  it  in  place. 
The  first  piece  of  crib  work  sunk,,  in  building 
the  break-water, has  a  very  stout  plank  bottom.. 
The  water  line  of  the  crib  work  south  of  Ran- 
dolph street  is  six  hundred  feet  east  of  the  east 
side  of  Michigan  Avenue,  and  the  outer  line  of 
the  crib  work,  between  Randolph  street  and 
the  river,  is  one  thousand  three  hundred  and 
seventy  five  feet,  The  area  thus  enclosed  and 
rescued  from  the  dominion  of  the  Lake,  is  about 
thirty-three  acres.  Upon  this  area  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad  proposes  to  erect,  first,  one 
passenger  .station  house,  four  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  long,  by  one  hundred  and  sixty -five  wide, 
including  a  car  shed.  The  N,  W.  corner  of 
this  building  will  be  occupied  exclusively  for 
offices  and  passenger  rooms,  and  will  be  forty 
by  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet,  and  three  sto- 
ries high.  A  freight  building  six  hundred  by 
one  hundred  feet ;  grain  house  one  hundred  by 
by  two  hundred,  and  one  hundred  feet  high, 
to  the  top  of  the  elevators;  calculated  to 
hold  five  hundred  thousand  bushels.  Three 
tracks  will  run  into  the  freight  house ;  eight 
tracks  into  the  passenger  house,  and  two  tracks 
into  the  grain  house.  The  basin  lying  be- 
tween the  freight  and  grain  houses  will  be 
five  hundred  by  one  hundred  and  seventy-eight 
feet  and  will  open  into  the  river.  All  these 
buildings  are  to  be  constructed  of  stone,  obtain- 
ed from  Joliet  The  cost  of  the  breakwater 
will  be  not  far  from  five  hundred  thousaiid  dol- 
lars, and  of  the  buildings  not  far  from  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  thousand  dollars.  The  work  was 
commenced  in  December  1852,  and  will  be  fin- 
ished during  the  year  1854 — Mr.  Mason  having 
been  detained.-as  much  by  legal  difficulties  ;ia 
natural  obstacles. 

The  extreme  length  of  the  pile  bridging  for 
the  railroad  track  ia  two  and  a  half  miles.  Of 
this,  one  and  a  half  miles,  parallel  with  Michi- 
gan Avenue,  is  double  track,  and  the  remainder 
is  single.  For  the  single  track,  two  rows  of 
piles  are  driven  inside  the  breakwater,  and  four 
for  the  double  track.  These  piles  are  well 
braced  and  bolted  together,  and  form  a  very 
substantial  structure  for  the  railroad  track. 

It  will  be  impossible  to  give  any  thing  like 
an  accurate  description  of  the  Company's  works 
until  they  are  completed  ;  for  as  day  by  day 


the  great  commercial  promise  of  Chicago  bright- 
ens, the  extent  and  breadth  of  the  Company's 
works  will  be  increased  in  proportion,  or  at 
least  so  fur  as  their  depot  accommodations  will 
allow  them.  What  was  estimated  to  be  suffi- 
cient a  year  since,  has  now  been  found  inade- 
quate. And  the  next  nix  months  will  develop 
further  change  and  increase. 

The  Michigan  Central  Railroad  either  rent 
the  privilege  of  using  the  road  of  the  IllinoisCen-- 
tral  in  entering  the  city,  or,  what  is  more  prob- 
able, share  the  expense  of  building  the  break- 
water. The  works  are  planned  on  a  magnifi-- 
cent  seale,  but  they  will  not  do  more  than  ac- 
commodate the  vast  business  of  the  two  com- 
panies which  occupy  them.  We  have  very  in- 
definite ideas  of  the  amount  of  business  which 
the  opening  of  the  Illinois  Central  R.  R.  will 
bring  to  Chicago.  As  soon  as  it  is  finished,  a- 
daily  line  of  magnificent  steamers  will  be  put 
on  the  Mississippi  river  to  run  regularly  between 
Cairo  and  New  Orleans.  Till  the  roads  cross-  - 
ing  the  Illinois-  Central  are  completed  east  U> 
Cincinnati,  almost  the  entire  travel  between 
New  York  and  New  Orleans  will  pass  through 
Chicago — and  it  will  always  be  a  favorit*  route 
between  the  North  and  the  South. 


Micix.  Southern  &  Rock  Island 
R.  R.  Depot. 

These  Companies  are  preparing  to  build  a 
splendid  depot  between  Clark  and  Sherman 
streets,  near  Van  Buren  street.  All  the  plans 
and  arrangements  for  the  building  are  not  com- 
pleted, and  we  therefore  are  obliged  to  omit  a 
description  in  detail.  It  will  cost  at  least  sixty 
thousand  dollars. 


i  &  Chicago  Union  Rail' 
road  Depot. 

This  Company  within  the  next  week  or  twc 
will  put  wider  contract  a  new  freight  building 
north  of  the  present  depot  east  of  Clark  street, 
Its  dimensions  will  be  three  hundred  and  forty 
by  seventy-five  feet  and  two  stories  high.  It, 
is  expected  to  cost  twenty-five  thousand  dol- 
lars. Still  another  freight  building  is  to  be 
immediately  erected  cast  of  the  present  freight 
depot.  It  is  to  be  two  hundred  and  fifty  by 
sixty  feet,  and-  two  stories  high.  The  upper 
part  of  the  building  is  especially  designed  for 
storing  grain.  It  is  to  be  finished  in  the  best 
style,  and  will  cost  about  fifty  thousand  dollarg.- 

The  company  are  also  preparing  to  enlarge 
their  engine  house  and  machine  shops,  at  an 
estimated  cost  of  twenty  thousand  dollars. 

Several  of  our  other  roads  are  maturing  their 


51 


plans  to  erect  depots  ;  but  they  are  not  suffi- 
ciently complete  to  allow  us  to  mate  a  notice 
of  them. 


Cook  County  Court  Hou§e. 

This  fine  building  stands  on  the  public 
square.  It  was  completed  during  the  last  sum- 
mer, and  is  an  ornament  to  the  city.  An  en- 
graving of  it  will  be  found  on  the  cover  of  our 
pamplet.  One  hundred  and  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars, expended  in  building  it,  were  borrowed 
on  the  bonds  of  the  county  having  from  seven 
to  eighteen  years  to  run,  at  ten  per  cent  inter- 
est, payable  semi-annually.  Sixty  thousand 
dollars  of  these  bonds  were  taken  by  Col.  R. 
K.  Swift,  of  this  city,  and  the  balance  of  the 
money  was  furnished  by  eastern  capitalists. 


Telegraphs. 

We  might  present  a  large  number  of  statis- 
tics in  regard  to  our  Telegraph  lines,  but  it  is 
sufficient  to  say  that  we  are  in  telegraphic  com- 
munication with  all  the  principal  towns  and 
cities  in  the  Uniou.  Tha  important  incidents 
that  occur  in  Washington,  New  York  and  New 
Orleans,  up  to  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  or  the 
foreign  news  when  a  steamer  arrives,  may  be 
found  the  next  morning  in  the  columns  of  the 
Democratic  Press. 


Omnibus  Routes. 

The  two  principal  omnibus  proprietors  in  the 
city  are  S.  B.  <fc  M.  O.  Walker,  and  Parker  & 
Co.  There  are  in  all  eight  routes,  on  several  of 
which  each  company  has  a  line  of  omnibuses. 
The  total  length  of  the  different  routes  is  twen- 
ty-two and  one  half  miles.  The  number  of  om- 
nibuses now  running  is  eighteen,  making  four 
hundred  and  eight  trips  per  day,  and  eight 
hundred  and  two  miles  run  by  the  different 
omnibuses.  The  proprietor  of  the  Bull's  Head 
Hotel,  also  runs  an  omnibus  regularly  to  State 
street  market.  Duriug  the  summer  several 
other  lines  are  to  be  established,  and  many 
more  omnibuses  will  be  employed.  Parker  & 
Co.  have  eleven  omnibuses  engaged  in  carrying 
passengers  from  the  Hotels  to  the  different 
railroad  depots. 

Bridges,  Sidewalks,  &c. 

There  are  bridges  across  the  Chicago  river 
at  the  following  streets :  Clark,  Wells,  Lake, 
Randolph,  Madison,  Van  Buren,  North  Water 
Railroad  Bridge,  Kinzie  and  Chicago  Avenue. 
A  new  and  elegant  pivot  bridge,  similar  to  that 


across  the  river  at  Lake  street,  is  to  be  built  at 
Clark  street  during  the  present  season.  It  will 
be  a  great  and  much  needed  improvement. , 

The  total  length  of  the  sidewalks  within  the 
city  is  one  hundred  and  fifty -nine  miles,  and  of 
planked  streets  twenty-seven  miles.  There 
are  four  miles  of  wharves,  and  six  miles  of  sew- 
ers already  put  down. 

We  think  these  facts  show  a  laudable  degree 
of  enter  prize  in  a  city  not  yet  quite  seventeen 
years  old.  These  improvements  will  be  great- 
ly extended  during  the  present  summer. 


Chicago  Gas  Company. 

We  have  a  very  efficient  Gas  Company,  and 
now  that  the  city  is  well  lighted  during  the 
night,  our  citizens  would  be  very  unwilling  to 
plod  along  in  darkness,  as  in  former  years. 
From  the  recent  report  of  the  Company  it  ap- 
pears that  during  the  last  year  there  has  been 
laid  in  the  city  twenty -one  thousand  two  hun- 
dred and  sixty-five  feet  of  four  inch,  four  thou- 
sand two  hundred  and  ninety -nine  feet  of  six 
inch,  and  three  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
fourteen  feet  of  ten  inch  pipe,  making  in  all  five 
miles  two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  seventy- 
eight  feet ;  and  the  total  amount  laid  through- 
out the  streets  of  the  city  is  thirteen  miles  six 
hundred  and  thirty-eight  feet,  the  whole  cost 
of  which  has  been  eighty  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  thirteen  dollars  and  three  cents.  Up 
to  January  1st,  1853,  there  had  been  placed 
with  all  the  necessary  connections,  five  hundred 
and  seventy-four  meters,  at  a  cost  of  fourteen 
thousand  four  hundred  and  eighty  dollars  and 
ninety-seven  cents.  During  the  last  year,  two 
hundred  and  seventy-nine  have  been  set,  at  a 
cost  of  seven  thousand  three  hundred  and  thir- 
teen dollars  and  twenty -six  cents — making  the 
total  amount  tw.enty-one  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  ninety-four  dollars  and  twenty -three 
cents.  Jauuary  1st,  1858,  there  were  five  hun- 
dred and  sixty-one  private  consumers,  during 
the  last  year  two  hundred  seventy -nine  have 
been  added,  making  atotal  of  eight  hundred  and 
forty,  with  an  aggregate  of  seven  thousand  five 
hundred  and  thirty-two  burners.  There  are  two 
hundred  and  nine  public  lamps,  which  have 
consumed  during  the  year,  one  million  three 
hundred  and  sixty-six  thousand  one  hundred 
and  forty  cubic  feet 

Extensive  improvements  have  been  and  are 
being  made  at  the  worke.  The  new  gas  holder 
will  be  finished  in  the  spring.  The  tank  is  one 
hundred  and  four  feet  in  diameter,  twenty  feet 
deep,  and  constructed  of  heavy  masonry.  The 
holder  will  be  telescopic,  in  two  sections,  and 


52 


will  hold  three  hundred  and  fifteen  thousand  cu- 
bic feet.  The  amount  expended  during  the  year 
in  enlargements  and  improvements  at  the  station 
is  forty-two  thousand  eight  hundred  an  nineteen 
dollars  and  eleven  cents,  and  the  total  expendi- 
ture on  account  of  station  works  to  date  is  one 
hundred  and  thirty-five  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  seventy-four  dollars  and  twelve  cents.  The 
total  amount  expended  for  real  estate  to  date  has 
been  twenty-six  thousand  one  hundred  and  five 
dollars  and  forty-seven  cents,  of  which  twenty-one 
thousand  five  hundred  and  forty-two  dollars  and 
seventy-five  cents  have  been  expended  within 
the  last  year. 

The  amount  of  coal  used  last  year  exceeds  that 
of  the  preceding  by  six  hundred  and  fifty-eight 
tons  one  thousand  and  ninety-four  Ibs.  In  1852, 
eight  million  nine  hundred  and  eleven  thousand 
one  hundred  cubic  feet  of  gas  were  made,  and  in 
the  last  year  fourteen  millions  four  hundred  and 
twelve  thousand  three  hundred  and  eighty  feet, 
showing  an  increase  of  five  millions  five  hundred 
and  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  eighty  feet. 

The  receipts  for  the  year  have  been  as  follows : 

Private  Consumers. $£9,991  45 

Public  Lamps 3,963  94 

Coke  and  Tar 2,511  4» 

Rent  and  sundries 17i  94 

Making  a  total  of. $46,44282 

Which  sum  exceeds  the  receipts  of  the  foimer 
year  sixteen  thousand  and  twelve  dollars  and 
sixty-four  cents. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  last  year,  the  stock  is- 
sued amounted  to  four  thoasand  two  hundred 
shares  ($105,400);  since  then  four  thousand  one 
hundred  and  thirty-six  shares  ($103,400,)  have 
been  added  to  the  capital  stock — making  a  total 
of  eight  thousand  three  hundred  and  thirty-six 
shares  ($208,400.)  The  number  of  stockholders 
is  sixty-six,  of  whom  thirty -three  reside  in  Chica- 
go, holding  three  thousand  four  hundred  and  six- 
ty-nine shares  ($86,725.)  The  funded  debt  of 
the  Company  is  seventy  thousand  dollars,  in 
bonds  bearing  interest  at  the  rate  of  se^ea  per 
cent,  per  annum. 


Health  of  Ohicago- 

Till  within  a  few  years  it  has  generally  been 
supposed  that  Chicago  was  a  very  unhealthy  city. 
There  never  was  a  more  unfounded  assertion. 
Before  the  streets  were  thrown  up,  it  was  very 
wet  and  muddy  at  times ;  but  since  our  main 
streets  -were  planked  we  suffer  no  more  from 
this  cause  than  most  other  cities.  The  ground 
on  -which  the  city  stands  is  nearly  level,  and  but 
a  few  feet  above  the  lake,  yet  there  is  sufficient 
slope  to  drain  the  streets,  and  if  an  efficient  sys- 


tem of  sewerage  is  adopted,  as  we  trust  it  soon 
will  be,  this  objection,  which  has  done  so  much 
to  injure  Chicago,  will  not  have  even  a  shadow 
of  foundation. 

The  following  table  shows  the  comparison  of 
deaths  with  the  population  since  1847,  from 
which  it  appears  that  the  past  year  has  been  one 
of  remarkable  health ; 


1847. 
184*. 
184". 
1860. 
1851. 
1862. 
18£B. 


No.  of  Deaths. 
620 


.l.fi  9 
.1,335 

.    841 
.1.649 


Population. 
Jf.85!> 
19,724 
22.047 

28,b£0 

88,7?3 


The  diseases  proving  moat  fatal  during  past 
year  are  given  as  follows : 

Consumption 198 

Teething ill 

Scarlet  J'ever 24 

Diarlrosa 3" 

Dysentery 69 

Typhoid  i'ever 27 

Deaths  by  accident  or  design : 

Drowned ...  .56 

Killed ..  .'0 

Suicide 6 

Poisoned 1 

Found  dead 1 

Total 53 

We  are  willing  that  these  figures  should  be 
compared  with  those  of  any  other  city  in  the 
Union. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  in  the  years 
1349  and  '50  we  had  the  Cholera  in  Chicago,  and 
to  that  cause  must  be  attributed  the  increased 
bills  of  mortality  for  those  years. 

The  statistics  of  the  last  year  show  a  mortality 
but  a  very  Email  fraction  above  one  in  ?ixty.  It 
will  be  observed  that  here,  as  in  eastern  cities, 
that  terrible  disease,  the  consumption,  claims  the 
largest  number  ot  victims ;  but  we  think  facts 
will  bear  us  out  in  the  statement,  that  it  is  not  a 
disease  indiginous  to  this  part  of  the  country. — 
Most  of  those  who  die  with  it  in  this  city,  come 
here  with  it  from  the  eastern  States,  or  have  a 
hereditary  taint  in  their  constitution.  We  heard 
Dr.  Mott,  of  New  York,  than  whom  there  is  no 
higher  authority  in  this  or  any  county,  express 
the  opinion  that  in  the  centre  of  a  continent  this 
disease  does  not  generally  prevail.  Our  observa- 
tion since  residing  in  Illinois,  confirms  this  opin- 
ion. The  pure  invigorating  breezes,  sweeping 
over  the  broad  bosom  of  our  magnificent  lake  for 
hundreds  of  miles,  are  a  never  failing  source  of 
energy  and  health  to  those  who  make  homes  in 
the  Garden  City* 


Plank  Roads. 

We  have  several  plank  roads  leading  cut  of 
the  city.  The  Northwestern  commences  near 
the  Galena  Railroad  Depot  on  tbe  West  Side,  and 


53 


extends  to  the  town  of  Maine,  17  miles.  Seven 
miles  from  the  city  the  Western  road  branches 
off  and  is  completed  seventeen  miles  from  the 
city.  It  is  intended  to  extend  this  road  to  Elgin. 

The  Southwestern  Plank  Road  leaves  the  city 
at  Bull's  Head,  on  Madison  street,  and  passes 
through  Lyonsville  to  Brush  Hill,  1 6  miles.  From 
Brush  Hill  the  Oswego  Plank  Road  extends  four- 
teen miles  to  Naperville. 

The  Southern  Plank  Road  commences  on  State 
street,  at  the  south  line  of  the  city,  and  is  finish- 
ed to  Comorn,  ten  miles  south  of  the  city.  We 
believe  it  is  to  be  extended  south  to  Iroquois 
County. 
The  Blue  Island  Aveune  Plank. 

Road, 

Is  a  more  recent,  and  on  many  accounts,  is  a  very 
important  improvement,  and  therefore  merits  a 
description  more  in  detail.  It  extends  from  the 
village  of  Worth,  or  Blue  Island,  due  north  on 
the  township  range  line  between  ranges  13  and 
14  east  of  the  third  principal  meridian,  to  the 
southwestern  corner  of  the  city,  thence  on  the 
diagonal  street  of  the  same  name,  ordered  plank- 
ed by  the  City  Council,  it  is  continued  to  the 
heart  of  the  city  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  It 
will  be  but  about  thirteen  miles  from  Worth  to 
the  city  limits  by  this  road,  and  being  on  a  direct 
line,  it  must  command  the  travel  coming  to  Chi- 
cago from  the  south,  nearly  all  of  which  concen- 
trates at  Worth.  This  road  is  rapidly  progress- 
ing toward  completion,  and  as  it  runs  through  a 
region  of  country  heretofore  without  a  road,  it 
will  have  the  effect  to  add  another  rich  suburban 
settlement  to  Chicago.  The  lands  upon  the  line 
of  this  road  are  the  most  fertile  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  city,  and  to  facilitate  this  improvement  for 
gardening  purposes,  the  owners  of  many  of  them 
have  cut  them  up  into  ten  and  twenty  acre  lots, 
and  are  selling  them  to  actual  settlers  and  others 
very  low,  and  on  good  tune.  This  arrangement 
will  secure  a  dense  population  on  the  line  of  the 
road,  and  make  all  of  the  lands  along  it  very  val- 
uable, as  it  must  be  one  of  the  gardening  sections 
of  the  Garden  City.  The  very  large  ditches  cut 
by  the  drainage  commissioners  along  this  road, 
furnish  a  very  high  and  splendid  grade,  made  of 
the  earth  excavated,  six  miles  of  which  cost  ten 
thousand  dollars  for  ditching  alone.  These  ditches 
render  the  lands  at  all  times  dry  and  arable.  The 
avenue  on  the  prairie  is  to  be  one  hundred  and 
twenty  feet  wide ;  on  either  side  of  which  trees 
are  to  be  planted  by  the  owners,  so  as  to  make  it 
a  most  beautiful  "drive"  from  the  city. 

The  town  of  Brighton,  at  the  crossing  of  this 


and  the  Archer  road,  is  to  be  improved  this 
spring  by  the  erection  of  a  fine  Hotel  and.  other 
buildings.  As  by  this  road  cattle  can  be  irivfi 
to  the  city  without  danger  of  fright  from  locorr.o 
lives,  and  as  two  of  the  principal  roads  entering 
the  city  meet  at  Brighton,  with  abundant  water 
at  all  tunes,  and  pasture  and  meadow  lands  in  al- 
most unlimited  quantities  beyond,  no  one  can 
doubt  its  favorable  position  for  becoming  the 
principal  cattle  market  of  Chicago. 

Lake  Snore  Plank  Road. 

This  road  was  recently  organized,  is  now  un- 
der contract,  and  commences  at  the  north  line  of 
the  city  limits  on  Clark  street.  It  runs  thence 
northwardly  nearly  parallel  with  the  lake  shore 
for  about  two  miles  to  the  new  and  elegant  hotel 
recently  erected  by  Jas.  H.  Rees,  Esq.,  of  this 
city,and  E.  Hundley,  of  Virginia.  Thence  through 
Pine  Grove  Addition,  and  to  Little  River,  thence 
north-westwardly  to  Hood's  Tavern,  on  the  Green 
Bay  road,  which  is  in  reality  an  extension  of 
North  Clark  street.  The  whole  length  of  the 
road  is  about  five  miles.  It  will  open  up  a  beau- 
tiful section  north  of  the  city,  in  which  will  soon 
be  located  elegant  residences,  surrounded  by 
beautiful  gardens,  furnishing  one  of  the  finest 
"drives"  from  the  city.  There  are  some  of  the 
most  beautiful  'building  spots  on  the  line  of  the 
road  that  can  be  found  anywhere  in  the  vicinity 
of  Chicago. 


COOK   COUNTY   DRAINAGE 
COM31ISSIOH. 

Among  the  most  important  of  the  recent  im- 
provements affecting  Chicago,  the  drainage  of 
the  neighboring  wet  lands  should  not  be  omitted, 
as  well  in  an  agricultural  and  commercial  view, 
as  from  its  effect  upon  the  sanitary  condition  of 
the  city  and  its  vicinity.  This  highly  important 
improvement  is  being  effected  by  the  "  Cook 
County  Drainage  Commission,"  a  bodj  incopo- 
rated  by  act  of  Legislature,  approved  June  2?, 
1852,  in  which  Henry  Smith,  Geo.  W.  Snow, 
James  H.  Rees,  Geo.  Steel,  Hart  L.  Stewart, 
Isaac  Cook  and  Charles  V.  Dyer,  are  named  as 
Commissioners.  Dr.  Dyer,  28  Clark  street,  is 
Secretary  of  the  Board. 

They  and  their  successors  in  office  are  empow- 
ered to  locate,  construct  and  maintain  Ditches, 
Embankments,  Culverts,  Bridges  and  roads,  on 
any  lands  lying  in  townships  37,  38,  89  and  40, 
in  ranges  12,  13  and  14,  in  Cook  county ;  to  take 
land  and  materials  necessary  for  these  purposes, 
and  to  assess  the  cost  of  such  improvements  upon 
the  lands  they  may  deem  to  be  benefitted  thereby. 


54: 


Objection  was  made  to  the  creation  of  this  ' 
Commission,  that  the  powers  entrusted  to  it  were 
too  great,  and  might  be  abused,  and  the  act  was 
passed  with  some  difficulty.  But  it  was  seen  that 
full  powers  must  be  given  to  the  Commissioners, 
in  order  that  their  efforts  for  the  benefit  of  the 
public  and  a  large  body  of  proprietors  might  not 
be  stopped  or  impeded  by  a  few  short-sighted 
objectors.  Their  powers  in  effect,  are  simply 
those  given  to  any  Railroad  or  Canal  Company, 
for  the  purpose  of  effecting  a  specified  object. 

The  two  years  of  their  corporate  existence, 
have  shown  that  the  Commissioners  have  used 
their  powers  faithfully  and  efficiently.  They 
have  located  and  constructed  their  works  gener- 
ally upon  the  petition  of  the  proprietors  of  the 
land  to  be  drained,  and  it  is  believed  that  in  ev- 
ery case  these  improvements  have  been  followed 
by  an  immediate  and  commensurate  advantage 
to  the  lands  through  which  they  pass. 

Their  examination  showed  the  Commissioners 
that  a  vast  body  of  land  within  the  limits  of  the 
commission,  which  had  before  been  deemed  val- 
ueless, lay  in  fact  from  four  to  twelve  feet  above 
the  lake,  and  needed  only  a  proper  drainage  to 
make  it  available  for  purposes  of  agriculture  and 
occupation. 

Acting  upon  this  knowledge,  they  have  expen- 
ded some  $100,000  in  constructing  ditches  and 
other  works,  under  the  superintendence  of  an 
able  and  experienced  engineer,  with  the  most 
salutary  effect  upon  a  large  extent  of  country. — 
Houses  are  now  being  built  with  dry  cellars  upon 
ground  heretofore  covered  with  water.  In  one 
instance,  a  quarter  section  which  had  been  re- 
peatedly offered  for  sale  at  five  dollars  an  acre, 
brought  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  after 
being  drained,  and  a  similar  rise  of  value  in  lands 
has  been  produced  in  other  cases. 

The  objects  of  the  Commission  will  be  vigor- 
ously prosecuted  during  the  coming  summer,  and 
it  is  hoped  that  the  unsightly  swamps  which  have 
heretofore  disfigured  this  and  adjoining  town- 
ships, will  soon  become  "  smiling  gardens  and 
rich  fields  of  waving  corn." 


MANUFACTURES. 

What  is  presented  under  this  head  cannot  be 
considered  as  exhibiting  any  thing  like  a  com- 
plete view  of  Chicago  manufactures ; — there  arc 
many  branches,  such  as  the  making  of  hats  and 
caps,  clothing,  boots  and  shoes,  fur  goods,  har- 
ness, trunks,  and  saddlery,  &c.,  &c.,  which  are 
omitted  entirely,  and  others  are  sadly  imperfect ; 
but  the  fact  arises  from  our  inability  to  obtain 


correct  data  from  those  engaged  in  the  various 
departments  of  business.  We  have  repeatedly 
been  promised  facts  and  figures  which  have  not 
come  to  hand,  and  the  publication  of  our  article 
cannot  longer  be  delayed.  Enough  is  shown, 
however,  in  what  follows,  to  establish  the  truth 
of  the  declaration  that  the  position  of  Chicago  is 
not  less  favorable  for  a  manufacturing  than  a 
commercial  centre,  and  that  capital  invested  in 
manufactures  is  here  sure  to  yield  a  large  profit 

Chicago  Locomotive  Company. 
The  attention  of  our  business  men  was  called, 
last  September,  to  the  importance  of  establishing 
at  this  point  the  manufacture  of  Locomotives,  an 
enterprise  which  was  demanded  by  the  concen- 
tration of  so  many  extensive  and  diverging  lines 
of  railroads  at  this  place ;  a  Company  was  at 
once  formed,  with  a  capital  stock  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  the  following  gen- 
tlemen chosen  a  Board  of  Trustees  r 

Wm.  H,  Brown.  E.  H.  Hadduck, 

Thos.  Dyer,  J.  H.  Coffins, 

Geo.  Steele,  J.  P.  Chapin, 

RobL  FOBS,  W.  S.  Gurnee, 

W.   H.  Scovffle. 

The  Company  was  fully  organized,  by  the  elec- 
tion of  the  following  officers : 
Wm.  H.  Brown,  President. 
W.  H.  Scoville,  Treasurer. 
Sholto  Douglass,  Secretary. 
E.  H.  Hadduck,  \ 

Robt.  Foss,         j-  Executive  Committee. 
Wm.  H.  Brown,  ) 

Messrs.  H.  H.  Scoville  &  Son,  who  had  been 
for  several  years  extensively  engaged  in  the  con- 
struction of  various  kinds  of  machinery,  and  the 
building  of  railroad  cars,  and  had  large  buildings 
well  located  and  adapted  to  the  wants  of  the  new 
company,  offered  their  establishment ;  it  was  ac- 
cordingly purchased,  and  is  now  the  head  quar- 
ters of  the  Chicago  Locomotive  Company.  The 
Messrs.  Scoville  had  already  commenced  a  loco- 
motive, which  was  placed  upon  the  track  soon 
after  the  organization,  and  was  the  first  locomo- 
tive built  in  Chicago.  It  was  named  the  "  Enter- 
prise," and  its  entering  into  the  service  of  the 
Galena  and  Chicago  Union  R.  R.  was  made  the 
occasion  of  an  appropriate  celebration.  •  Since 
j  that  time,  the  Locomotive  Company  have  furnish- 
ed the  same  road  with  another  engine,  the  "Fal- 
con," pronounced  by  all  a  first  class  locomotive. 
Their  third  locomotive  will  be  put  upon  the  track 
in  a  few  days,  and  will  add  to  the  growing  repu- 
tation of  Chicago-built  engines.  In  a  short  time 
the  company  will  employ  about  two  hundred  men 


at  tlieir  works,  and  will  be  able  to  turn  out  two 
engines  per  month,  every  portion  of  which  will  be 
manufactured  from  the  raw  material  in  this  city. 
We  are  happy  to  learn  that  the  Company  are 
supplied  with  orders  for  sometime  to  come,  and 
from  the  arrangements  they  have  made  for  the 
best  material  and  most  skillful  workmen,  togeth- 
er with  an  abundance  of  capital,  it  is  certain  that 
a  short  time  will  demonstrate  that  it  is  no  longer 
•necessary  for  Railroad  Companies  to  order  loco- 
motives exclusively  from  eastern  manufacturers. 

The  G.  &  C.  U.  R.  R.,  have  rebuilt  several  lo- 
comotives at  their  extensive  machine  shop,  and 
within  a  few  weeks  they  have  turned  out  an  en- 
tirely new  first  class  engine,  which  may  properly 
be  called  a  Chicago  locomotive,  since  the  drafting 
and  all  the  work  was  done  at  their  shop,  except 
the  boiler  and  driving  wheels.  The  "Black 
Hawk"  compares  favorably  with  the  best  eastern 
locomotives,  and  is  doing  daily  duty  for  it?  build- 
ers, never  yet  having  been  "  behind  the  time." 
American  Car  Company. 

The  American  Car  Company  commenced  busi- 
ness in  the  fall  of  1852,  but  did  not  get  fully  un- 
der way  until  the  following  March,  when  all  the 
various  departments  of  the  factory  were  properly 
organized.  Their  works  are  situated  on  the  lake 
shore,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  city,  about 
three  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  harbor,  and 
the  buildings,  with  the  necessary  yard  room, 
cover  thirteen  acres.  The  Michigan  Central  and 
Illinois  Central  Railroads  pass  by  the  factory,  so 
that  the  location  is  most  favorable  on  many  ac- 
counts. They  have  a  foundry  where  they  cast 
wheels  and  boxes  and  all  the  casting  requisite  for 
cars,  in  fact  they  manufucture  every  portion  of 
their  cars  from  the  raw  material,  except  cloths, 
and  such  ornamental  trimmings  as  belong  exclu- 
sively to  other  branches  of  manufacture.  The 
American  (""ar  Company  have  constructed  about 
seven  hundred  cars  of  all  kinds,  the  great  major- 
ity of  them  being  freight  Cars.  Nothing  can  ex- 
ceed the  passenger  cars  which  they  have  furnish- 
ed the  Illinois  Central  road  for  completeness  of 
arrangement  and  perfection  of  finish.  The  num- 
ber of  men  employed  at  the  works  varies  from 
two  hundred  and  fifty  to  three  hundred.  The 
value  of  finished  work  sent  out  from  the  factory 
up  to  the  first  of  January,  1854,  is  a  little  beyond 
four  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars.  D.  H. 
Lyinan,  Esq.,  is  the  able  and  energetic  Superin- 
tendant  of  the  Company. 

Union  Car  Works. 

A.  B.  Stone  &  Co.  are  the  proprietors  of  this 
establishment.  The  ground  it  now  occupies  was 


an  unbroken  prairie  in  September,  1852,  when 
they  commenced  the  erection  of  their  buildings. 
In  February,  1853,  they  had  their  buildings  and 
machinery  erected  and  turned  out  the  first  car ; 
since  which  time  they  have  furnished  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  freight,  and  twenty  first  class  pas- 
senger, ten  second  class  passenger,  and  ten  bag- 
gage and  post  office  cars.  Their  machinery  ia 
driven  by  a  seventy-five  horse  power  steam  en- 
gine. They  have  consumed  in  the  past  year  about 
one  and  half  millions  feet  of  timber ;  six  hundred 
tons  of  wrought  iron ;  one  thousand  tons  of  cast 
iron ;  two  hundred  tons  of  coal,  and  employed  150 
men.  They  have  the  equipping  of  the  C.  &  R.  I. 
R.  R.  and  the  western  division  of  the  Ohio  and 
Mississippi  Railroad.  In  addition  to  the  iron  work 
for  their  cars,  they  have  manufactured  all  the  iron 
for  Messrs.  Stone  &  Boomer,  used  in  the  construc- 
tion of  bridges,  turn-tables,  &c.  They  have  en- 
larged their  buildings  and  increased  their  facilities 
sufficiently  to  enable  them  to  turn  out  five  hun- 
dred freight  and  forty  passenger  cars  per  year. 

Messrs.  Stone  &  Boomer,  builders  of  Howe's 
Patent  Truss  Bridges,  Locomotive  Turn-tables, 
Roofs,  &c.,  occupy  for  their  framing  ground  and 
yard  several  lots  adjoining  the  Union  Car  Works. 
They  have  had  contracts  the  past  year  for  bridges 
on  twenty-four  different  railroads  in  Illinois,  Mis- 
souri, and  Wisconsin,  embracing  one  hundred 
and  fifty  bridges,  the  aggregate  length  of  which 
is  thirty-seven  thousand  linear  feet 

This  company  has  a  capital  invested  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  employ 
upon  an  average  three  hundred  men.  They  have 
used  two  thousand  tons  of  iron,  and  five  and  a 
half  million  feet  of  lumber.  Bridges  completed, 
ten  thousand  linear  feet ;  bridges  not  completed, 
twenty-seven  thousand  linear  feet.  Turn-tables 
compled,  nineteen ;  not  completed,  twelve.  Cu- 
bic yards  of  masonry — completed  and  not  com- 
pleted, nine  thousand.  Gross  earnings,  eight 
hundred  thousand  dollars. 

Illinois  Stoiio  and  Lime  Company. 

This  new  Company  was  organized  in  this  city 
in  December  last,  purchasing  the  entire  interest 
of  Messrs.  A.  S.  &  0.  Sherman  in  the  celebrated 
stone  quarry  at  Lemont,  twenty -five  miles  south 
of  Chicago,  upon  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  canal, 
also  the  lime  kiln  property  near  Bridgeport. — 
The  following  are  the  officers  of  the  company. 

W.  S  GURNEE.  President. 

M.  C.  STEARNS,  Secretary  &  Treasurer. 

A.  S.  &  0.  SHERMAN,  Supcrintcndants. 

The  stone  obtained  at  the  quarry  now  worked 
by  this  company,  is  nearly  a  milk  white  limestone, 
and  forms  one  of  the  most  beautiful  building  ma- 


56 


terials  to  be  found  in  the  Western  States.  The 
edifices  which  have  already  been  completed  with 
fronts  of  this  stone,  attract  the  attention  and  com- 
mand the  admiration  of  all  who  visit  the  city,  and 
are  pointed  out  with  an  extreme  degree  of  satis- 
faction and  even  pride,  by  our  citizens. 

The  existence  of  this  quarry  at  so  short  a  dis- 
tance, of  inexhaustible  extent,  and  accessible  by 
water  communication,  is  a  most  fortunate  circum- 
stance connected  with  the  building  up  of  our 
city.  The  stone  can  be  furnished  where  it  is 
wanted,  so  that  the  cost  of  a  wall  of  this  material 
is  only  one-third  greater  than  that  of  Milwaukee 
brick  with  stone  dressings,  while  in  the  beauty 
of  the  two  styles  there  is  hardly  room  to  institute 
a  comparison. 

The  Company  have  been  making,  during  the 
past  winter,  extensive  preparations  for  the  activ- 
ity of  the  opening  season,  having  employed  at 
the  quarry  and  at  the  yards  here,  about  three 
hundred  men.  We  are  informed  that  contracts 
have  already  been  made  for  furnishing  fronts  of 
this  stone  to  twelve  buildings  on  business  streets, 
besides  several  private  residences,  all  going  up 
this  summer.  The  Company  expect  to  increase 
the  number  of  men  employed  to  five  hundred, 
with  increased  facilities  for  transportation,  and 
additional  machinery  and  steam  power,  in  order 
to  fully  meet  the  demand  upon  its  resources. 

marble  Works. 

There  are  several  establishments  in  the  city 
for  dressing  marble  for  cemeteries,  interior  deco- 
rations for  buildings,  furniture,  and  various  other 
purposes,  but  we  have  only  space  to  speak  of  one 
of  the  principal.  Messrs.  H.  &  0.  Wilson  have 
extensive  buildings  with  necessary  yard  room,  at 
the  corner  of  State  and  Washington  streets, 
erected  last  summer.  The  amount  of  business 
last  year,  exceeded  fifteen  thousand  dollars.  We 
mention  as  a  single  item,  that  one  hundred  mar- 
ble mantles  were  sold  by  them  last  year. 

Brick  Yards. 

The  sub  soil  of  Chicago  and  vicinity  is  a  blue 
clay,  underlying  the  surface  from  three  to  six 
feet  and  affording  an  exhaustless  supply  of  mate- 
rial for  the  manufacture  of  brick  which  are  strong, 
heavy  and  durable.  We  are  not  able  to  ascer- 
tain accurately  the  number  of  brick  manufactured 
here  last  year,  but  have  gathered  enough  infor- 
mation to  show  that  it  must  have  reached  twenty 
millions.  These  brick  were  all  used  in  the 
erection  of  buildings  last  season  in  addition  to 
those  imported  from  Milwaukee  and  other  lake 
ports,  which  fell  but  little  short  of  three  millions. 
In  the  spring  of  185S  contracts  for  Chicago  brick 


delivered  at  the  buildings  were  closed  at  four 
dollars  and  twenty-five  cents  per  thousand,  but 
they  advanced  during  the  summer  to  six  dollars. 
The  contract  price  for  quantities,  this  season, 
ranges  from  six  dollars  to  six  dollars  and  fifty 
cents.  The  following  are  among  the  principal 
manufacturers  of  brick ;  G.  W.  Penney ;  F.  T. 
&  E.  Sherman ;  Elston  &  Co.;  Anthony  Armitage ; 
Louis  Stone. 

Coaches,  Carriages  and  Wagons. 

The  manufacture  of  vehicles  of  various  descrip- 
tions to  supply  the  demand  of  the  city  and  coun- 
try has  kept  pace  with  the  increase  of  other  de- 
partments of  business,  and  from  small  beginnings 
in  board  shanties,  has  taken  possespion  of  large 
edifices  of  brick  and  stone,  resonant  with  the 
whirl  of  multiform  machinery  driven  by  steam 
power,  where  the  division  of  labor  among  the 
bands  of  workmen,  each  skillful  in  his  own  line, 
results  in  the  production  of  articles  finished  in 
the  best  manner  for  the  purpose  at  the  lowest 
possible  cost.  It  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  the  im- 
portation at  this  place  of  vehicles  from  eastern 
factories  has  almost  entirely  ceased,  and  is  con- 
fined to  buggies  and  light  carriages,  mostly  des- 
tined for  the  interior.  We  have  not  space  to 
speak  of  all  the  wagon  factories  in  the  city;  larpe 
and  small  they  number  nearly  one  hundred.  We 
therefore  mention  only  some  of  the  principal. 

B.  C.  Welch  &  Co.  occupy  an  extensive  estab- 
lishment on  Randolph  street,  and  devote  them- 
selves entirely  to  the  production  of  buggies, 
carriages,  omnibuses  and  coaches.  The  following 
figures  will  give  an  idea  of  the  business  of  this 
house,  whose  work  will  in  all  respects  compare 
most  favorably  with  those  imported  from  builders 
enjoying  only  a  more  extended  reputation  and  of 
longer  standing.  The  capital  employed  in  this 
establishment  is  thirty-two  thousand  dollars,  and 
the  amount  of  finished  work  disposed  of  laKt 
year  reached  the  sum  of  forty-five  thousand  dol- 
lars. The  average  number  of  men  in  the  factory 
is  about  seventy.  The  number  of  carriages  sold 
during  the  year  was  one  hundred  and  eighty-five, 
of  which  fifteen  were  omnibuses  for  the  various 
lines  in  the  city,  ranging  in  price  from  five  hun- 
dred to  five  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  each. — 
Among  the  number  were  five  close  carriages, 
ranging  from  five  hundred  to  eight  hundred  dol- 
lars each. 

Ellithorpe  &  Kline  are  also  engaged  in  the  ex- 
clusive manufacture  of  carriages,  ranging  through 
all  the  styles  from  the  light  open  buggy  to  the 
heavy  family  and  livery  carriages ;  and  they  have 
already  acquired  an  enviable  reputation  in  their 


57 


line.  Their  establishment  is  in  the  West  Division, 
at  the  corner  of  Randolph  and  Morgan  streets. 
Their  sales  last  year  amounted  to  fifteen  thousand 
dollars.  It  is  their  intention  to  more  than  double 
their  business  during  the  present  year,  in  doing 
which  they  will  employ  constantly  from  fifty  to 
sixty  men. 

P.  Schuttler  has  a  large  factory  at  the  corner 
of  Randolph  and  Franklin  streets,  where  the  bu- 
siness is  confined  exclusively  to  the  manufacture 
of  lumber  wagons.  A  steam  engine  furnishes 
the  motive  power  for  all  requisite  machinery,  and 
about  thirty-five  men  are  constantly  employed  in 
the  establishment,  as  carpenters,  blacksmiths, 
painters,  &c.  The  number  of  wagons  made  an- 
nually somewhat  exceeds  four  hundred,  and  their 
ralue  amounts  to  nearly  thirty  thousand  dollars. 

J.  C.  Outhet  has  a  factory  on  Franklin  street, 
from  which  he  sold  last  year  one  hundred  and 
fifty  wagons,  besides  numerous  drays,  carts  and 
buggies,  sales  amounting  to  about  seventeen 
thousand  dollars.  The  number  of  men  employed 
here  is  about  eighteen.  Mr.  Outhet  proposes  to 
enlarge  his  establishment  and  introduce  steam 
power,  by  which  his  business  will  hereafter  be 
greatly  extended. 

H.  Whitbeck  unites  the  manufacture  of  wag- 
ons, buggies,  and  carriages  with  that  of  ploughs. 
Within  the  past  year  he  has  greatly  enlarged  his 
factory  by  the  erection  of  a  large  brick  building 
of  four  stories,  for  machinery,  besides  numerous 
smaller  shops  for  various  purposes.  The  capital 
invested  in  this  establishment  is  hi  buildings  and 
machinery,  twenty  thousand  dollars ;  hi  stock, 
fifteen  thousand  dollars ;  total,  thirty-five  thou- 
sand dollars.  The  amount  of  sales  for  the  pre- 
ceding year  exceeded  forty  thousand  dollars. — 
The  number  of  vehicles  manufactured  for  the  same 
period  is  five  hundred  and  eighty-nine,  and  the 
number  of  ploughs,  one  thousand.  This  estab- 
lishment now  gives  employment  to  from  forty  to 
fifty  men,  and  it  is  the  intention  of  the  proprietor 
to  increase  his  business  during  the  present  year. 

Furniture. 

This  forms  another  very  extended  department 
of  manufacture  hi  our  midst,  and  hi  which  very 
many  persons  are  engaged.  Our  limits  will  allow 
us  to  speak  of  but  one  or  two  of  the  largest  estab- 
lishments. Numerous  as  they  are,  and  many  of 
them  employing  a  large  capital,  they  are  called 
npon  beyond  their  power  to  meet  the  demand, 
and  there  is  probably  no  other  branch  of  manu- 
facture more  inviting  at  present,  than  the  one  un- 
der consideration.  The  rapid  growth  of  the  city 
is  to  be  supplied,  aud  the  wide  expanse  of  coun- 


try penetrated  by  our  railroads,  filing  up  with 
new  settlers,  while  the  old  ones  are  increasing 
wonderfully  in  wealth  and  in  wants.  We  have 
often  paused  in  the  railroad  depots  to  notice  the 
immense  quantities  of  furniture  accumulating  for 
distribution  hi  the  interior,  bearing  cards  of  Chi- 
cago manufacturers. 

C.  Morgan  occupies  a  building  on  Lake  street, 
twenty  feet  front  by  one  hundred  and  sixty-three 
deep,  and  running  up  entire  five  stories.  The 
two  lower  floors  are  used  to  exhibit  samples,  and 
three  upper  devoted  to  the  workmen.  Although 
keeping  a  general  assortment  Mr.  Morgan  is  en- 
gaged principally  in  the  manufacture  of  chairs 
and  the  more  expensive  kinds  of  furniture,,  em- 
bracing ah1  the  recent  styles  of  pattern,  finish  and 
material.  His  sales  last  year  amounted  to  thirty 
thousand  dollars,  the  establishment  affording  em- 
ployment to  over  forty  men. 

Ferris  &  Boyd  have  then*  show  rooms  on  Lake 
street,  and  their  shop  on  Van  Buren  street.  In 
the  latter  their  machinery  requires  an  engine  of 
fifteen  horse  power,  and  the  increase  of  their 
business  has  compelled  them  to  add  forty  feet  of 
shafting  within  a  few  months.  They  employ  con- 
stantly about  fifty  men,  while  their  machinery 
does  the  work  of  twenty -five  or  thirty  hands. — 
Their  manufactured  articles  are  rather  more  hi 
the  common  and  useful  line,  than  the  luxurious 
and  expensive,  while  neatness  of  finish  and  ele- 
gance of  style  characterize  all  their  productions. 
They  connect  with  their  business  the  manufacture 
of  frames  for  pictures  and  mirrors.  We  believe 
it  is  the  only  establishment  in  this  city  where  gilt 
frames  are  made  to  any  extent  They  turn  out 
very  fine  work  in  this  line ;  some  of  their  frames 
go  as  high  as  one  hundred  dollars  each.  Their 
entire  sales  last  year  reached  fifty  thousand  dol- 
lars. 

Among  the  other  manufacturers  hi  the  city, 
doing  a  large  business,  we  mention  the  names  of 
Boyden  &  Willard,  D.  L.  Jacobus  &  Bra,  and 
Thomas  Manahan. 

Chicago  Oil  Mill. 

Messrs.  Scammon  &  Haven  are  the  proprietors 
of  this  establishment — the  only  one  in  the  city. 
It  is  capable  of  manufacturing  one  hundred  thou- 
sand gallons  of  oil  per  annum.  Owing  to  the  dif- 
ficulty of  supplying  themselves  with  seed,  forty 
thousand  gallons  were  the  product  of  the  mill  du- 
ring the  last  year. 

Before  the  commencement  of  this  important 
enterprise,  in  1852,  there  was  very  little  flax 
raised  by  our  farmers,  and  in  the  spring  of  that 
year  Messrs.  Scammon  &  Haven  imported  sever- 


58 


al  thousand  bushels  and  sold  it  to  the  farmers  at 
cost,  in  order  that  they  might  be  able  to  supply 
their  mill  by  the  time  it  could  be  put  in  opera- 
tion. They  paid  for  seed  during  the  past  year 
from  one  dollar  to  one  dollar  twelve  and  a 
half  cents,  and  are  now  selling  oil  at  eighty-five 
cents.  Before  this  mill  was  established  Flax 
Seed  was  scarcely  known  in  this  market,  and 
what  did  arrive  sold  at  sixty  to  sevent-five  cents 
per  bushel.  It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that  the 
amount  of  business  done  by  this  mill  is  a  clear 
gain  to  Chicago,  and  the  region  of  country  that  is 
tributary  to  the  city.  It  is  a  great  convenience 
to  our  painters  to  be  able  to  purchase  a  first  rate 
article  of  oil  in  our  city.  The  neighboring  towns 
and  cities  also  find  it  for  their  advantage  to  pur- 
chase their  oil  of  Messrs.  Scammon  &  Haven,  as 
they  are  sure  to  get  an  article  of  very  superior 
quality. 

The  machinery  is  propelled  by  an  engine  of  fif. 
teen  horse  power,  and  the  processes  by  which  it 
is  manufactured  are  exceedingly  interesting  and 
curious.  Between  three  and  four  thousand  bbls. 
of  oil  cake  were  sold  in  this  city  and  shipped  east 
by  Messrs.  Scammon  &  Haven  during  the  past 
year. 

Another  important  department  of  this  estab- 
lishment is  the  manufacture  of  putty.  About 
two  hundred  thousand  Ibs.  were  manufactured 
during  the  past  year. 

The  total  amount  of  capital  invested  is  between 
twenty-five  and  thirty  thousand  dollars. 

Soap  and  Candles. 

The  large  amount  of  packing  at  this  place 
especially  of  beef,  affords  a  good  opportunity  for 
the  extensive  manufacture  of  soap  and  candles. 
There  are  several  large  establishments  in  the 
city,  besides  numerous  small  factories.  As  we 
are  not  furnished  with  data  for  giving  the  total 
business  of  the  city  in  this  line,  we  take  one  of 
the  principal  establishments,  that  of  Charles 
Cleaver,  Esq.,  situated  at  Cleaverville,  upon  the 
lake  shore  south  of  the  city.  The  manufacture 
and  sale  by  this  establishment  last  year  was  as 
follows : 

Candles,  Ibs 495.000    Tallow.lbs 884.300 

Soap.        "    682.010    Lard,      "    334,341 

Lard  Oil.  gallons..  43,530 

In  connection  with  his  business  Mr.  Cleaver 
has  imported  within  the  year  three  hundred  and 
fifty  tons  of  Rosin,  Soda,  &c.  &c. 
Machinery. 

It  is  a  source  of  gratification  that  Chicago  is 
not  only  able  to  nearly  supply  the  demand  for 
machinery  within  her  own  limits,  but  contributes 


largely  to  aid  in  the  erection  of  mills  and  factories 
at  other  localities,  some  of  which  are  far  from 
being  in  our  immediate  vicinity.  Engines,  boil- 
ers, and  machinery  of  all  kinds  are  continually 
going  out  from  the  shops,  while  the  demand  in- 
creases faster  than  the  facilities  for  supplying  it. 
As  we  stood  in  a  boiler  shop  but  the  other  day, 
the  hammers  were  ringing  upon  the  rivets  of 
seven  boilers,  four  of  which  were  for  mills  in 
Michigan,  one  for  a  town  in  Indiana,  one  for 
Davenport,  Iowa,  and  one  for  Rockford.  We 
have  gathered  the  following  facts  in  relation  to 
several  establishments. 

Charles  Reissig  has  a  steam  boiler  factory  from 
which  last  year  the  finished  work  sent  out  amoun- 
ted to  twenty-eight  thousand  dollars  and  the  val- 
ue of  material  purchased  was  eighteen  thousand 
dollars.  The  number  of  boilers  made  at  this  shop 
last  year  was  one  hundred  and  seventeen,  which, 
together  with  the  o'her  blacksmithing,  afforded 
constant  employment  to  about  twenty-five  men. 

Messrs.  Mason  &  McArthur  employ  at  their 
works  on  an  average  forty  men.  They  build 
gasometers,  purifiers,  governors  and  all  the 
wrought  iron  works  for  the  gas  works ;  also 
steam  boilers,  water  tanks,  together  with  sheet 
iron  work  and  blacksmithing  in  all  its  branches. 
The  amount  of  business  carried  on  by  them  may 
be  estimated  from  the  fact  that  they  expended 
last  year  for  iron  and  labor  thirty-eight  thousand 
dollars. 

P.  W.  Gates  &  Co.,  proprietors  of  the  Eagle 
Works,  are  large  manufacturers  of  railroad  ears, 
steam  engines  and  boilers  and  machinery  of  all 
kinds.  They  have  a  capital  of  fifty-five  thousand 
dollars  invested.  The  manufactured  work  of 
last  year  amounted  to  one  hundred  and  ten  thou- 
sand dollars,  giving  employment  to  one  hundred 
and  fifty  men.  Among  the  articles  turned  out 
by  them  were  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  rail- 
road cars  and  twenty  steam  engines. 

H.  P.  Moses  is  the  proprietor  of  the  Chicago 
Steam  Engine  Works,  on  the  South  Branch,  the 
oldest  machine  shop  in  the  city.  He  is  confined 
to  the  manufacture  of  steam  engines,  mill-gearing, 
&c.  Last  year  he  constructed  thirteen  engine?, 
ranging  from  ten  to  one  hundred  horse  power, 
their  value  amounting  to  fifty-five  thousand  dol- 
lars. He  employs  sixty-five  men,  and  his  engines 
have  a  good  reputation.  There  are  now  in  his 
hands  nineteen  engines  which  will  be  finished 
within  the  next  three  months.  We  will  remark 
here,  that  he  is  now  building  one  to  run  our 
presses,  which  will  be  a  model  engine  of  its  size. 
It  rates  in  common  parlance  at  ten  horse  power, 


59 


but  with  the  boiler  we  shall  put  up  with  it,  its 
builder  says  it  will  run  up  to  twenty. 

Leather  Manufacture. 

In  this  department  we  are  famished  with  sta- 
tistics of  the  operations  of  three  eetablisments. — 
That  of  W.  S.  Gurnee,  tanned  last  year  eighteen 
thousand  hides  out  of  forty-five  thousand  handled, 
in  which  was  consumed  nearly  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  cords  of  bark.  The  Tannery,  wi  oh 
vards,  drying  sheds  and  other  buildings,  occupies 
two  acres  on  the  South  Branch.  The  establish- 
ment employs  fifty  men,  and  a  large  steam  engine 
is  used  to  drive  all  necessary  machinery. 

Messrs.  C.  F.  Grey  &  Co.  tanned,  last  year, 
thirteen  thousand  eight  hundred  and  nineteen 
hides,  and  the  sales  of  leather  amounted  to  sixty- 
two  thousand  dollars.  They  employ  upon  an 
average  thirty-two  men.  in  this  paj  t  of  their  busi- 
ness. We  mention  here  that  the  firm  of  S.  Niles 
&  Co.,  in  which  they  are  partners,  have  manufac- 
tured since  August  1st,  1853,  about  eighteen 
thousand  Ibs.  of  pulled  wool,  taken  from  pelts 
purchased  for  tanning. 

Another  establishment  which  employs  twenty- 
five  men  furnishes  us  with  the  following  figures 
of  then-  business  for  the  last  year :  Number  of 
hides  and  skins  tanned,  6,984  ;  sides  of  harness 
leather,  3,395 ;  bridle,  1,479 ;  collar,  965 ;  upper, 
4,577  ;  calfskins,  1,636  ;  belting  281. 
Stoves. 

We  have  but  one  establishment  of  long  stand- 
ing, the  Pho?nix  Foundry,  of  Messrs.  H.  Sherman 
&  Co.  which  has  been  doing  a  large  business  for 
several  years,  and  become  well  known  by  the  ex- 
tent of  its  operations  and  the  quality  of  its  wares. 
We  are  not  able  to  state  ho-w  many  stoves  were 
sent  out  from  this  foundry  last  year,  but  the  pro- 
prietors employ  constantly  fifty  men,  and  cast, 
daily,  six  tons  of  metal.  Connected  with  the 
sales  room  on  Lake  street  is  a  shop  for  making 
furniture  for  stoves  where,  in  the  fall  and  winter, 
a  number  of  tin-smiths  are  employed. 

Vincent,  Himrod  &  Co  have  established  a  stove 
foundry  during  the  year,  from  which  they  are 
prepared  to  turn  out  from  four  to  five  thousand 


stoves  per  annum,  and  will,  within  a  short  time, 
enlarge  their  works  so  as  to  manufacture  double 
that  number. 

Agricultural  Implements. 

In  addition  to  the  manufacture  of  ploughs  al- 
ready mentioned  we  have  factories  for  making 
thrashing  machines,  corn  shellers,  fanning  mills, 
and  other  farming  utensils,  but  we  are  without 
figures  to  exhibit  the  amount  of  business. 

J.  S.  Wright  has  commenced  here  the  manu- 
facture of  Atkin's  Self  Raking  Reaper  and  Mower. 
Last  season,  the  first  of  the  enterprise,  he  turned 
out  sixty  machines.  He  has  now  in  hand  three 
hundred  machines  which  will  be  finished  in  time 
for  the  coming  harvest,  and  furnished  at  one 
hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars  on  time — one 
hundred  and  sixty  dollars  cash.  The  establish- 
ment at  present  employs  about  seventy-five  men, 
but  will  be  greatly  enlarged  during  the  year,  as 
it  is  the  intention  of  the  manufacturer  to  build 
one  thousand  machines  in  time  for  the  following 
season. 

McCormick's  Reaper  Factory  has  boon  in  suc- 
cessful operation  for  so  many  years,  and  the 
machines  constructed  have  attained  such  a  world 
wide  celebrity,  that  it  is  unnecessary  for  us  to 
more  than  briefly  notice  it  here.  It  occupies 
extensive  buildings  and  grounds  on  the  north 
side  of  the  river,  near  the  mouth  of  the  harbor, 
and  the  time  was  when  its  tall  chimney  formed, 
perhaps,  the  most  prominent  landmark  for  vessels 
approaching  the  harbor.  Now  we  have  hundreds 
as  large  and  high,  like  volcanic  craters  belching 
forth  clouds  of  smoke,  suggestive  of  the  mighty 
toils  of  elements  beneath.  The  number  of  reap- 
ing and  mo  wing  machines  manufactured  and  sold 
in  1853,  amounted  to  a  little  less  than  one  thou- 
sand five  hundred,  and  at  an  average  price  of  one 
hundred  and  thirty  dollars,  gives  one  hundred 
and  ninety-five  thousand  dollars  as  the  amount  of 
sales.  The  number  of  combined  reaping  and 
mowing  machines  turned  out  during  the  present 
year  will  be  at  least  one  thousand  five  hundred, 
furnished  at  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  each. 
The  number  of  men  employed  at  the  works  is 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty. 


COMMERCIAL    REVIEW 


FOR  1853. 


THE  past  year  has  been  one  of  unexampled 
prosperity.  The  increase  in  our  population  has 
been  fifty-seven  per  cent.,  and  yet  every  one  of 
our  sixty  thousand  people,  who  has  the  disposi- 
tion and  the  health  to  labor,  is  fully  employed. 
There  is  not  probably  upon  the  Continent  a  city 
whose  healthy  permanent  growth  requires  and 
can  profitably  employ  so  large  an  increase  of 
labor  and  capital  as  Chicago.  But  our  business 
now  is  with  the  commerce  of  the  past  year.  We 
commence  with 

FLOUR. 

The  receipts  and  shipments  of  Flour  during 
the  past  year  do  not  show  so  large  an  increase 
as  might  at  first  be  expected.  This  is  owing  to 
the  large  amount  consumed  in  the  construction 
of  our  various  railroads,  and  by  our  increasing 
population  both  in  the  city  and  country.  The 
following  table  exhibits  the  total  amount  of  re- 
ceipts for  the  past  two  years,  and  the  sources 
from  which  they  were  derived  : 

1852-bbls.    1853-bbls. 


Galena  and  Chicago  Railroad. .  .44.316 

Lake 8,875 

Canal 1,846 

Eastern  Railroads 4.300 

Manufactured  in  city 70,979 

Rock  Island  Railroad 


30,702 
2,265 
7,223 
7.411 

83,833 


Total, 124,316        131,130 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  receipts  for  the  past 
exceed  those  of  the  previous  year  by  nearly 
seven  thousand  barrels.  The  city  mills  have 


manufactured  twelve  thousand  barrels  more  than 
they  did  in  1852. 

The  shipments  of  Flour  from  this  port  by  Lake, 
for  a  series  of  years,  were  as  follows : 

TBASS.  BBLS. 

1844 6920 

1845 13.752 

1846 28,045 

1847 32.538 

1848 , 45,208 

1849 51.869 

1850 100,871 

1851 72.406 

1852 61.196 

1853 T0.984 

SHIPMENTS  OF  FLOUR  FOR  1853  : 

Lake 78,984 

Canal 1.167 

Galena  Railroad 44S 

Eastern  Railroads 666 

111.  Central  Railroad 988 

74,199 

Leaving  a  balance  of  56,950  barrels,  part  of 
which  has  been  shipped  by  Michigan  Central 
and  Rock  Island  railroads,  and  the  rest  consumed 
in  the  city. 

The  shipments  made  by  canal  and  railroad 
were  mostly  in  small  lots,  for  consumption  in  the 
various  towns  through  which  they  severally  pass. 

The  prices  in  this  market  on  the  first  of  each 
month  for  the  years  1851-'52-'53,  were  as  fol- 
lows. The  lowest  figures  are  for  common  coun- 
try Spring  Wheat  brands,  and  the  higher  for  best 
city  mills : 


61 


January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

•July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 


1851, 

:^.7.u....O 
2.75a4.oO 
3.00a5.0J 
8.UOa4.5J 
3.00al.25 
3.00a*.25 
3.00al.25 
2.2oal.23 
2.25a4.25 
2.25a3  73 
2.25a3.75 
2,25aS.75 


1852. 


2.50»4.25 
2.25a4.00 
2.2oa4.(iO 
3.00a4.25 
2,3ia4.00 
2.80a4.00 
2.50a4.i;0 
2.75a4.75 
2.75a4.75 
3.25a4.75 


1353. 

IS.iOa5.CO 
4.00a5.00 
3.50a4.7o 
3.25a4.uO 
3,50*4.75 
3.50a4.7a 
3.50a«.75 
3.73a4.75 
3.50a5.00 
5  25a6.25 
4.75aS.?5 
4.5Ua5,5u 


The  interesting  fact  is  evident  from  these 
figures,  that  Flour  has  averaged  during  the  past 
year  about  a  dollar  per  barrel  above  the  prices 
paid  the  year  previous,  and  two  dollars  above 
those  paid  in  1851.  This  important  advance  in 
one  of  our  great  staples  has  added  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  dollars  to  the  property  of  the  State 
of  Illinois. 

WHEAT. 

The  crop  of  Wheat  for  the  last  year,  in  all  the 
section  of  country  which  seeks  Chicago  as  its 
market,  was  large,  and  the  quality  of  the  grain 
was  generally  very  good.  Within  the  year  our 
railroads  have  been  extended  in  almost  every 
direction,  thus  affording  facilities  to  bring  out  the 
surplus  grains  in  the  hands  of  producers.  This 
tact,  together  with  the  high  prices  ruling  here 
and  in  Eastern  markets,  has  increased  the  re* 
ceipts  of  the  past  year  in  a  large  ratio. 

The  following  are  the  receipts  for  the  last  two 
years,  and  the  sources  from  which  they  were 
derived. 

1852— bwsh.       1853— bush . 

Galena  and  Chicago  R.  K 504,996 

Canal ..108,597 

!,»!£« 129,251 

Eastern  Railroad* ; 13,903 

Teaai 180,749 

Rocklsland  Railroad 

111.  Central 


Total 937,496 


1,637,465 


The  figures  for  the  shipments,  and  the  amount 
Used  in  the  manufacture  of  Flour  in  the  city,  do 
not  agree  precisely;  but  it  is  very  easily  ac- 
counting for  the  discrepancy,  as  mistakes  in  so 
large  an  amount  of  .grain,  especially  where  the 
books  are  kept  by  so  many  individuals^  may  very 
easily  occur.  The  shipments,  as  we  have  ob- 
tained them  from  the  books  of  our  Water  street 
merchants,  are  as  follows : 

1852— bush.    1853— bush . 


Shipped  by  Lake 635,196 

"  Canal 807 

Used  by  Distillers 13,000 

"       "     Mills 28«,493 

Eaitern  Railroads , 


Total... 937,496 


1,206,163 
1,618 
3,080 

372,748 
102,207 

1,C?5,796 


The  average  'price  for  Wheat  for  the  past  ye'ar 
has  been  at  least  ten  cents  per  bushel  higher  than 
it  was  the  year  previous.  This  has  placed  a  very 
large  amount  of  money  in  the  hands  of  our  farm" 
ers,  and  has  relieved  thousands  from  financial 
embarrassment. 

The  annexed  table  shows  the  price  of  Wheat 
in  this  market  on  the  first  of  each  month  for  the 
years  1852  and  1853  ; 


1862. 


1853. 


SPBISQ. 

January .81-42 

February 37-46 

March 35-45 

April 34-40 

Maj 34-40 

June 34-40 

July 37-39 

AuKust, 40-43 

September 44-80 

October 48-56 

NoTember  .......55-60 

December ....... .66-60 


WINTER.          SPRING. 

50-65 70-76 

50-70 65-66 

60-72 ..60-70 

60-70 55-65 

62-72 60-66 

68-76 66-79 

68-76 66-75 

65-70 PO-82 

69-75 65-82 

60-72 94-100 

66-75 85-90 

70-80 85- SO 


WINTER, 

78-86 
75-J5 
70-86 
70-80 
80-90 
73-90 
78-90 
80-98 
80-90 
100-118 
95-106 
95-100 


Shipments  of  Wheat  from  this  port,  by  Lake, 
for  several  years,  are  as  follows : 

1842 586,907 

1843 688907 

IS44 891,894 

1845 956,800 

1846 1,459,584 

1847 1,974,304 

1848. 2,160,000 

1849 1,836,264 

1850 883,644 

1851 .437,660 

185J , 635,496 

1858 1,206,163 

The  opening  of  the  Kock  Island  Kailroad,  and 
of  the  Illinois  Central  to  Galena,  and  by  the  time 
the  coming  crop  is  gathered,  to  the  heart  of  the 
State,  will  open  the  rich  fields  of  Iowa,  and  an 
extensive  and  fertile  portion  of  our  own  State,  to 
our  Wheat  buyers.  The  benefits  will  be  mutual, 
both  to  the  dealer  and  the  producer,  and  will 
increase  this  department  of  our  commerce  more 
than  we  should  dare  now  to  predict. 

CORN. 

There  is  not  in  the  "  wide  world"  a  section  of 
country  of  equal  extent  better  adapted  to  the 
growing  of  corn  than  Illinois.  A  very  small  pro- 
portion of  what  is  raised  in  the  State  finds  its 
way  to  market,  and  appears  in  commercial  sta- 
tistics. Hundreds  of  thousands  of  acres  are  not 
gathered  at  all.  The  farmers  turn  their  stock 
into  their  ample  fields,  and  their  fine  bullocks 
and  splendid  porkers  have  nothing  to  do  but  to 
"eat  and  grow." 

Although  the  receipts  for  the  past  year  do  not 
quite  equal  those  of  1852,  there  can  be  no  doubt 


62 


that  there  was  much  more  raised  throughout  the 
State,  but  the  high  prices  in  the  latter  part  of 
1852  brought  out  the  surplus  that  had  lain  over 
iu  the  hands  of  farmers  from  previous  crops.  It 
will  be  seen  that  the  receipts  by  the  Galena  Rail- 
road and  teams  are  much  smaller,  while  those  by 
canal  are  much  larger  than  they  were  hi  1852. 
The  receipts  from  the  Illinois  river  would  have 
been  much  larger  had  not  the  navigation  of  that 
important  artery  of  our  commerce  been  almost 
entirely  stopped  by  the  low  stage  of  water  for 
nearly  half  the  entire  season. 

The  following  table  shows  the  amount  of  Corn 
received  in  this  market  for  the  past  two  years. 

1852-bush,        1853-bmh. 


Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal.... 1,810,830 
Galena  and  Chicago  Railroad.. .    671,981 

From  teams 508,220 

Rock  Island  K.R 

111.  Central  R.  R 

Eastern  Railroad* 


Total 2,991,011 


2.48U34 

228,505 

136,220 

17,862 

3.595 

1,823 

2.869,389 


There  is  one  fact  of  great  interest  in  relation 
to  this  staple.  It  is  fast  becoming  better  and 
more  favorably  known  in  the  markets  of  Europe 
as  an  article  of  food.  As  its  high  nutricious 
qualities  and  the  modes  of  preparing  it  for  the 
table  are  better  understood  in  foreign  countries, 
the  demand  for  export  must  become  proportion- 
ably  greater. 

The  shipments  for  the  past  year  are  as  fol- 
lows : 

Shipped  by  L»ke , .2,739,552 

"   EasternR.  R 40.676 

U«edbyDi»tiller*... -81,000 


Total.. A8«1.228 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  amount  does  not  cor- 
respond exactly  with  the  receipts.  We  could 
very  easily  make  them  do  so,  but  we  prefer  to 
give  them  as  we  have  found  them  on  the  books 
of  the  canal,  the  railroads  and  on  those  of  our 
merchants,  rather  than  to  make  a  show  of  a  de- 
gree of  accuracy  which  every  business  man 
knows  to  be  impossible. 

The  "following  shows  the  price  of  Corn  on  the 
first  day  of  each  month  for  the  past  two  years. 

1852.  1853. 

January 2C-38  89-56 

February 31-34  38-41 

March 32-34  40r45 

April 33-34  36-40 

May 83-34  40-48 

June 36-37  45-50 

July 32-8S  47-50 

August.. 42-48  W-«5 


September 50-32  65-6C 

October 50-83  64-55 

November 48-50  48-50 

December 56-58  47-48 

The  shipments  of  Corn  from  this  port  for  a  sc- 
ries of  years  by  Lake  are  as  follows  : 

1847 67,315 

1848] 550,460 

1849 644,848 

1*50 262,013 

1851 8.221.317 

1852 , 2,757,011 

liSS 2.729,552 

OATa 

Our  figures  show  a  falling  off  in  receipts  dur- 
ing the  past  year  of  about  200,000  bushels.  This, 
we  have  no  doubt,  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  fact 
that,  owing  to  the  high  prices  paid  during  the 
latter  part  of  the  previous  year,  the  entire  sur- 
plus in  the  hands  of  the  farmers  was  brought  out, 
aud  only  the  crop  of  the  past  year  was  left  to  be 
brought  forward.  The  receipts  of  1852  were 
over  2,000,000  of  bushels,  being  three  times  that 
of  any  previous  year.  A  portion  of  this  large 
increase  was  doubtless  derived  from  the  crop  of 
1851. 

The  annexed  table  shows  the  receipts  for  1852 
-'53,  with  the  sources  from  which  they  were 
derived. 

lS52-busb.      1853— bush. 


From  Canal 833,703 

From  Railroad 674,931 

From  Teams 581,297 

Rock  Island  Railroad 

Illinois  Central  Railroad 

Eastern  Railroads 


971,350 

472,829 

402.723 

11,810 

16,77!> 

273 


Total .3,089,041 

They  were  disposed  of  as  follows  : 

Shipped  by  Lake 1,633,842 

"  Canal -483 

"    Kastern  K.  B 114,169 


Total  1,748,484 

This  leaves  a  balance  of  126,276  bushels  for 
city  consumption,  which  probably  is  not  far  from 
the  true  amount. 

There  was  a  large  demand  for  shipment  cast 
during  the  months  of  May  and  June,  caused  by 
the  short  crop  the  year  previous  in  the  States 
bordering  on  the  seaboard,  and  hence  they 
reached  the  highest  price  in  those  months  that 
they  have  ever  borne  in  this  city  since  we  began 
to  export  Forty  cents  per  bushel  for  oats  will 
afford  the  Illinois  farmers  an  immense  profit 
After  the  new  crop  came  in,  prices  fell  off 


63 


tweny-five  per  cent.,  but  even  at  theae  figures 
they  can  be  grown  at  a  fair  profit. 

The  following  table  shows  the  prices  ruling  in 
this  market  on  the  first  of  each  month  for  the 
past  two  years : 

1852.  185S. 

January, 16-17  33-35 

February. 19-20  3^-35 

March 19-20  S3-34 

April 18-19  30-34 

May..,.:  18-20  34-40 

June 23-24  37-40 

Jury 24-25  30-32 

August 27-28  34-37 

E  epteraber 27-28  \  9-33 

October 3<K2  26-2 

November 2*-30  26-28 

December 28-30  !t7-28 


The  shipments  by  Lake  for  a  series  of  years 
are  as  follows : 

1847 38,892 

1848 ,.. 65,28'J 

1849 1....     26.849 

1850 158/84 

18ol 605,827 

18o2 2,030,317 

1863 l,633,84i 

The  northern  portion  of  our  State  is  peculiarly 
adapted  to  the  growing  of  Oats,  and  we  may 
therefore  expect  a  large  increase  of  this  grain  for 
export.  The  prices  they  have  borne  for  the  last 
eighteen  months  afford  a  handsome  profit  to  our 
farmers,  and  they  will  be  encouraged  to  cultivate 
this  crop  more  extensively  while  these  prices  are 
likely  to  continue. 

RYE. 

This  grain  has  recently  been  introduced  into 
this  market.  We  find  no  notice  of  it  in  any 
commercial  statistics  previous  to  1852.  That 
year  the  shipments  amounted  to  17,015  bushels. 
The  Rye  that  is  sold  in  this  market  is  brought 
here  principally  by  the  Galena  railroad ;  but  we 
regret  that  it  is  not  kept  separate  from  Corn  or 
some  other  grain.  From  other  sources  we  have 
th«  receipts  for  the  past  year,  viz : 

Til.  and  Mich.  Canal „ 3,948 

Lake 22 

Rock  Island  Railroad.. 617 

HI.  Central       "         635 

Team* *,364 

Total 9.48« 

The  shipments  and  uses  made  of  Rye  hi  this 
city  are  showed  in  the  annexed  table : 

ShipiHxI  by  Late 81,494 

Eastern  Railroad £#8 

Distillers 4,000 


This  would  make  the  receipts  by  the  Galena 
Railroad  76,676.  The  shipments  by  Lake  for 
the  last  two  years  are  as  follows : 

1J53 17.015 

1853 81  594 

The  prices  of  Rye  in  this  market  on  the  first 
day  of  every  month  for  the  year  1853  were  as 
follows : 

January ,...68-66  July 58  60 

Febiu&ry 59-SO  Aucmt... 58-69 

March 69  60  September 62-63 

April 55-58  October 62-6* 

May 65-60  Norember 68-60 

June £9-60  December .54-c5 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  shipments  of  this  grain 
for  the  past  year  have  increased  very  rapidly, 
and  we  have  a  right,  therefore,  to  infer  that  it  is 
found  to  be  a  profitable  crop.  It  will  undoubt- 
edly become  a  very  considerable  item  in  our 
future  exports. 

BARLEY. 

This  article  is  also  comparatively  "a  new 
comer"  in  the  Chicago  market.  The  statistics 
of  the  last  two  years  show  the  following  receipts : 


Total, . 


.86,162 


1852— bush.  1853— buah. 

FromCanal 8,7£5  26,610 

Railroad , 90.243  135.429 

Teams 21,31?  28/00 

Lake t,687  1,576 

Rock  Island  Railroad 972 

Total...,             127,028  192,387 


It  will  be  seen  that  the  receipts  of  the  past 
year  exceed  those  of  1852  by  65,359  bushels — 
an  increase  of  more  than  fifty  per  cent. 

The  shipments  for  the  last  five  years  show  the 
following  result  r 

BUSHELS. 

1849  (South)  by  Canal ~ 31,453 

18»«  "  "  81,812 

"  (Lake) ......  9« 

1851  (South)  by  Canal 11,460 

"  (Lake) 8,537 

18i2  " 70,818 

1863  "  79.689 

"     Eastern  Railroad 40,527 

"  Canal 51 

Us, ed  by  Brewers  and  Distillers 69.500 

Prices  in  St.  Louis  in  1849-'50-'51  were  above 
those  ruling  in  Eastern  markets,  and  hence  ship- 
ments were  made  South.  That  city  seems  to 
have  obtained  supplies  from  other  sources,  and 
shipments  during  the  last  two  years  have  been 
made  by  Lake  and  railroad,  as  shown  in  the  table. 

The  following  table  exhibits  the  prices  ruling 


in  this  market  on  the  first  of  each  month  for  the 
year  1853 : 

-Jan 50-51  July .3*-40 

Feb 43-52  Aug 35-40 

March 40-50  Sept 5n~t& 

April 47-#)  Oct 45-48 

May 48-50  Nov 43-46 

June 44-W  Dec. 41-17 

GRASS  SEEDS. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  following  tables  that  the 
receipts  and  shipments  at  this  port  have  increased 
during  the  past  year  in  a  very  large  ratio.  This 
is  no  doubt  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  grasses 
grown  upon  our  prairies  are  not  found  mixed 
with  those  pestiferous  weeds  that  have  found  a 
tirm  foothold  in  the  Eastern  States.  Eastern 
dealers  have  given  the  preference  to  Western 
seeds,  and  hence  the  large  demand  here  for 
exports. 

The  following  table  shows  the  amount  of  seeds 
received  the  past  year,  and  the  sources  from 
which  they  were  derived  ; 

By  Caaal .....fts.. 1,027,363 

Galena  Railroad 1,105,298 

Lake.. 54,60) 

Eastern  Railroads 10,72t> 


BL.  GB'S 

RFD  TOP.jTtMOTHYl  CLOVER. 

FLAXS'P 

Jan  .  . 

l.OOal  25 

2oal.50 

l.H2al.7o 

5.0Ua5.25 

—  al.OO 

Feb.. 

do 

do 

1  75al.87 

do 

80al  (K 

Marc  i 

do 

do 

1  75a2.00 

do 

do 

April. 

do 

do 

do 

4  00a4  '5 

do 

May. 

do 

do 

do   187 

4  S0a4.75 

do 

June. 

rio 

do 

do 

4.75a^  <  0 

do 

July. 

do 

do      'la 

1  G2al.75 

4  00a4  25 

do 

AUR.. 

do 

do 

1  SOa  do 

do 

do 

Sept. 

do 

do 

do   200 

do 

do 

Oct.. 

l.COal.50 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Nov. 

do 

do 

1  87a2.fO 

do 

do 

Dec.. 

do 

do 

do            do 

do 

Total  fts S.197,987 

The  shipments  were  made  as  shown  in  the  fol- 
lowing table : 

By  Canal  .......... .....fts..     29,341 

Lake 1.399,350 

Eastern  Railroads -...»•..,..    756,578 


Taken  together,  the  statistics  of  the  produce 
trade  of  our  city  show  a  gratifying  increase.  An 
examination  of  the  tables  exhibiting  the  prices  at 
the  first  of  each  month  will  explain  why  our 
farmers  are  so  prosperous.  With  their  farms 
now  paid  for,  they  are  prepared  to  make  every 
desirable  improvement,  or  to  withstand  any 
amount  vf  "hard  times"  which  all  venerabk 
croakers  regard  as  certain  to  oppress  the  country 
very  .soo». 

BUTTER, 

Xo  State  presents  greater  facilities  for  the 
manufacture  of  this  staple  than  Illinois ;  but  the 
raising  of  stock,  for  slaughtering  and  for  Eastern 
markets,  is  attended  with  so  much  less  labor, 
that  our  farmers  generally  have  neglected  "  the 
butter  business."  The  following  are  the  receipts 
for  the  past  year : 

By  Carnal » Ba..  77,849 

Galena  Railroad 665.900 

Illinois  Central  do 43,871 

Eastern  Railroads —  24.810 


foul. 


The  accounts  of  receipts  and  shipments  are 
kept  on  the  books  of  the  canal,  railroads  and  our 
Water  street  merchants  in  pounds,  and  there  is 
no  distinction  made  in  the  kinds  of  seeds  for- 
warded. Hence  it  is  impossible  to  tell  the  rela- 
tive proportions  of  eaclx  By  far  the  larger 
amount  was  Timothy  Seed.  Averaging  the  gross 
receipts  at  50  Ibs.  to  the  bushel,  and  the  price  at 
$2,  both  of  which  are  probably  below  the  mark, 
we  find  that  at  least  half  a  million  of  dollars 
were  paid  to  our  farmers  for  grass  seeds  alone. 

The  shipments  by  Lake  from  this  port  were 
for— 

1832 .-, »s..  J646SO 

1853 ...1,399.358 

The  prices  of  grass  seeds  ruling  in  this  market 
on  the  first  day  of-cach  month  for  the  year  185?, 
-were  as  follows : 


Total .> 812,4 '0 

The  following  shows  the  receipts  by  Lake, 
canal  and  railroad,  during  the  years  1851-'52- 
'53: 


Lake. 

1851. ...fts , 

1852 86.COO 

1853.... 


Canal. 

37,693 
281.800 

77,«49 


Railroad. 
334523 
958,700 
734,581 


Total. 

372  21f 

1,327,100 

812,4r« 


The  shipments  during  the  same  time  were : 


Lake. 
185!.... Ibs..  70,824 

1852......... 906,280 

1853 424,080 


Canal. 
Ts.ll? 
9.0CO 
17,785 


Railroad. 


71,588 


14-.941 
9!o,2Cf 
513,i'<3 


The  following  are  the  prices  paid  in  this  mar- 
ket for  Butter  on  the  fii-st  day  of  each  month  for 
the  year  1853  : 


J»n  ......  ......  ........14al6  July  .....  , 

Feb  .....  :.  .....  ...  ......  12a15  Aug...  ..............  HalSK 

M&rch  .................  12ol4  Sept  .................  12Xal3 

April  .....  ..  ............  12»lfi  Oct  ....................  15alf 

May  ................  ...13al7  NOT  ....................  14ol? 

June  ...................  lOall  Dec  ....................  13alC 

At  these  rates,  with  the  low  price  of  land  is 


65 


Illinois  and  Southern  Wisconsin,  Butter  will  pay 
a  very  handsome  profit  to  the  producer.  It  may 
be,  however,  that,  owing  to  the  labor  and  skill 
aece-<?ary  to  produce  a  good  article,  our  farmers 
will  devote  themselves  mainly  to  the  cultivation 
of  the  different  kinds  of  grain  and  the  raising  of 
stock,  and  that  our  receipts  will  not  increase  in  a 
ratio  corresponding  with  our  facilities  for  its  pro- 
fitable manufacture. 

LABP. 

The  amount  of  Lard  passing  through  this  mar- 
ket is  not  as  large  as  we  had  supposed.  Our 
figures  show  the  receipts  to  be  as  follows  : 

Br  C*nal  ................................  bbls..2,955 

"    L»<e  ..............  .  ....................  ....     73 

Rendered  in  city  ..............................  3.725 

Total  .........................................  6.753 

The  prices  ruling  in  this  market  for  the  past 
year,  on  the  first  of  each  month,  were  as  follows  : 

Jan  ..................  I'nUX  Joly  ....................  9«10 

*eb  ..................  10X<*11  Ann  .................  SXalOX 

March  ..................  9  10  Sept  .................  9Xal'iX 

April  ...................  9«10  Oct  .................  9X«10X 

M..y  ....................  9nlO  tfnv  ....................  ll«12 

June  ...........  ,  .......  9alO  Dec.  .................  lOaltiX 


HOGS  AND  PORK. 

The  number  of  Hoss  packed  in  this  city  is 
steadily  increasing,  and  when  the  Illinois  Central 
and  t'>e  Chicago  and  Mississippi  Railroads  are 
completed  and  open  to  the  trade  of  the  central 
and  southern  portions  of  the  State,  Cincinnati 
must  "  look  to  her  laurels,"  or  Chicago  will  ex- 
cel her  in  the  packing  of  pork  as  much  as  she 
does  now  in  the  quality  and  amount  of  beef  which 
our  city  exports  to  Eastern  markets.  In  Illinois 
hogs  are  fattened  almost  entirely  upon  corn, 
which  gives  the  flesh  higher  nutritive  qualities 
than  when  the  animal  is  reared  and  fed  upon  less 
nutritious  food.  This  fact  is  beginning  to  be 
appreciated  in  Eastern  markets,  and  must  give 
>ou-  Pork,  Lard  and  Hams  the  preference  over 
those  from  States  where  Hogs  are  fattened  upon 
mast  Of  the  refuse  of  the  dairy. 

The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  number  of 
Hogs  packed  for  the  season  of  1853-'o4: 


HO.  HiWS 

AV    W'lOHT 

TOT'L  WM'T 

<J  S   Hubbird  

1)010 

*0 

S.«42.fiOJ 

U   M    lloug'.i  &  Co.. 

-  1-7 

2<o 

1,«8  .(I'D 

'  evn'>l.l>  &   .ayw'rd 

7,  '88 

2  9 

1.7  3<J9-> 

Tliuiiuis  Dyer  

49:tt 

S!rtl 

1.281.     2 

f<   s    Cir..-nter  

-,<12) 

249 

1  22H.47-! 

2  *>n 

2  0 

72-.0-U 

fldn  Stei'i     

2.6)0 

JM 

H7:1,  111 

Hale  &  rivbnurr-e 

2!rOO 

537 

K*7  3"0 

Athenon&  Brown.. 

1,5  10 

9l< 

3B4.VO 

P    rurti-ss...  

1,'OU 

2*0 

3H4  IXKi 

Flint  &  Wueeler.... 

60) 

3,3 

isl.im 

Mckersnu  &  Weir.. 

MX) 

21) 

1^',  00 

J  Crf-wll  

541 

250 

13.,  HO 

BaiW  &  D'imn'1  

87J 

250 

92^" 

Abner  Button  

153 

2'U 

X9.  -0 

ToU'   

5-2  v<9 

•fiiix 

'3.  >x,8  5 

The  average  weight  of  the  Hogs  packed  ex- 
ceeds that  of  the  year  1852  by  38  Ibs.,  and  the 
number  packed  exceeds  that  of  '52  by  nearly 
4,000.  The  gross  weight  of  the  whole  is  greater 
than  that  of '52  by  3,000,000  of  Ibs.  This  shows 
a  gratifying  result;  but  we  shall  be  much  mis- 
taken if  the  increase  of  the  present  year  is  not 
still  more  striking.  We  remark  here,  that  the 
packing  season  commences  about  the  first  of  No- 
vember, and  ends  about  the  first  of  March.  Our 
tables  embrace  that  period. 

A  comparative  statament  of  the  business  of 
the  past  three  years,  shows  the  following  result : 

HOGS  CUT.     AV.  WEIGHT.      TOTAL  W'OHT. 

18'-l-'2 22/36  23«X  5,247.27* 

!S."2-'3 4t,156  211X  10.192,972 

1853-M 52,849  249X  13.18S.815 

The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  number  of 
Hogs  received  during  the  past  season,  and  the 
sources  from  which  they  came : 

Chiciuoand  Galena  U.  R.  R 45779 

rl  icagoand  Rock  Island  Railroad 1-1,225 

III  Central  Ra:'road 1.242 

Michigan  Central  Railroad 387 

By  Team*  and  on  foot,  to  be  slaughtered  in  city... 12,347 


It  will  be  seen  that  the  receipts  by  the  Rock 
Island  Railroad  form  a  very  considerable  item. 
Had  the  road  been  completed  to  Rock  Island  on 
the  first  of  November,  they  would  have  been 
much  larger. 

The  Hogs  received  here  were  disposed  of  as 
follows : 

Puckertincity 59,«49 

Shipped  East  by  Mich.  Central  Railroad  9,782 

"  "          Southern      "          846 

Sold  in  city 10,503 

Total 73,980 

The  following  statement  exhibits  the  price  of 
Mess  Pork  ou  the  first  of  each  month  for  the  past 
two  years : 

1852.  1853. 

January *13;i1409  »1600ai650 

February I2tti3<:0  1630.1   ... 

March 13al350  1600a   ... 

April 14a145)  15Wa   ...         / 

May 14aU50  lai'Oal   00 

June 14a'4»0  IS  5  a    ... 

July 16al700  16(Wa    ... 

Auzust l-al900  15  Oflal">  50 

September l*>a!8  75  150cal7CO 

October 20a....          larttia 

November 19a  —  15  OOall  75 

December I6al6  aO  laOUalo&O 

The  following  table  shows  the  range  of  prices 


66 


for  dressed  Hogs,  per  100  Ibs.,  from  light  to 
heavy,  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  the  four  pack- 
ing months. 

Nov.  1st »500a  .., 

15th 500a650 

Dec.  1st 488a525 

15th 350a400 

Jan.  1st 325a400 

15th 400a415 

Feb.  1st 42*a450 

15th 444a500 

M'chlst 450a475 

BEEF. 

The  superiority  of  Chicago  as  a  point  for  BKEF 
PACKING  has  long  since  been  conceded.  The 
supply  upon  which  those  engaged  in  this  depart- 
ment of  trade  depend,  comes  not  only  from  the 
fertile  and  almost  boundless  prairies  of  Illinois, 
stretching  out  to  the  west  and  south,  but  it  comes 
also  from  the  southern  sections  of  Wisconsin, 
equally  adapted  by  Nature  for  raising  cattle  with 
little  expense  to  the  grazier.  It  has  also  not 
been  unfrequent,  during  thfc  past  season,  to  find 
large  droves  at  the  yards  which  had  found  their 
way  to  this  market  from  the  rich  bottom  lands 
in  the  valley  of  the  Wabash,  and  from  the  small, 
but  unsurpassed  prairies  of  Indiana,  attracted 
here  by  the  better  rates  and  greater  facility  with 
which  laage  and  choice  collections  of  beeves  could 
leave  the  hands  of  the  drovers. 

The  reputation  which  CHICAGO  BEEF  has  ac- 
quired in  Eastern  and  foreign  markets,  enables  it 
to  command  higher  prices  and  meet  more  ready 
sales  than  any  other  which  is  offered.  It  is  al- 
ways quoted  in  market  reports  distinct  from  other 
brands,  and  a  difference  is  made  in  its  favor. 
This  fact  is  a  sufficient  commentary  upon  its  su- 
perior quality.  The  foundation  of  this  distinction 
is  undoubtedly  the  character  and  condition  of  the 
animals  brought  here  for  slaughter.  Those  who 
have  devoted  themselves  to  the  raising  of  Beef 
Cattle  are  determined  that  the  natural  advantages 
of  the  country  shall  be  seconded  and  improved 
by  judicious  and  attentive  management.  And  it 
is  a  well  known  fact  that  every  farmer  who  has  a 
fine  cow  or  steer  for  the  butcher's  knife,  which 
he  does  not  wish  to  enjoy  at  his  own  table,  is 
anxious  that  it  should  come  to  Chicago.  But  it 
is  no  less  true  that  the  reputation  of  Chicago 
Beef  is  greatly  due  to  the  care  and  skill  with 
which  it  is  packed,  and  so  long  at  least  as  the 
pioneers  in  this  business — those' who  have  created 
its  world- wide  and  enviable  reputation — continue, 
as  they  have  to  this  time,  to  superintend  the  pre- 
paration of  this  great  staple,  will  that  reputation 
be  sustained. 


At  the  commencement  of  the  last  packing  sea- 
son the  impression  prevailed  that  the  number  of 
cattle  packed  here  would  not  equal  that  of  the- 
preceding  year.  The  feeling  was  caused  by  the 
well-known  fact  that  a  heavy  draft  had  been 
made  in  all  this  region  for  the  supply  of  Minne- 
sota, Oregon  and  California,  and  that  large  num 
bers  were  continually  being  sent  forward  on  foot 
and  shipped  by  railroad  for  New  York.  The 
number  thus  taken  from  this  place  by  the  Michi- 
gan Central  Railroad  alone  during  the  year  was 
3,857.  Notwithstanding  these  facts,  the  sum- 
ming up  of  the  business  of  the  season  exhibits  an 
increase  over  last  year. 

The  Beef  Packing  business  of  Chicago  is  con- 
ducted by  nine  different  establishments,  one  hav- 
ing been  added  during  the  year.  The  following 
is  an  enumeration  of  the  various  packers : 

K.  M.  &  0.  S.  Hough,  Andrew  Brown  &  Co., 
G.  S.  Hubbard  &  Co.,  Thomas  Dyer,  Reynolds  & 
Haywood,  B.  Carpenter,  F.  L.  Kent,  0.  H.  To- 
bey,  Clybourne  &  Ellis. 

The  largest  number  packed  in  1853  by  one 
house  was  4,700  head ;  the  smallest  250  head. 
The  total  number  packed  by  all  parties  is  25,435 
head,  showing  an  increase  over  last  year  of  only 
772  head,  the  smallness  of  which  has  been  al- 
ready accounted  for. 

The  number  of  barrels  of  Beef  packed  during 
the  past  year  is  57,500,  of  which  about  2,500 
barrels  were  retained  for  Western,  consumption, 
and  the  remaining  55,000  barrels  were  shipped 
East,  or  are  now  awaiting  shipment.  The  ulti- 
mate destination  of  this  staple  varies  somewhat 
with  the  demand  upon  the  New  York  and  Bos- 
ton markets,  but  there  are  several  firms  which 
pack  principally  for  English  houses.  One  exten- 
sive establishment  packs  exclusively  for  the  use 
of  American  whale  ships. 

The  average  weight  of  Cattle  packed  here  last 
year  exceeds  that  of  the  preceding  by  21  Ibs.  per 
head.  In  1852  the  average  was  542  Ibs.  per 
head;  in  1853  it  was  563  Ibs.  In  1852,  the 
lowest  average  of  the  different  packing  houses 
was  500  Ibs.,  the  highest  580  Ibs. ;  in  1853,  the 
lowest  was  500  Ibs.,  the  highest  620  4-5  Ibs. 
We  find  the  weight  of  several  lots  packed  in  1853 
as  follows : 


NO.  CATTLB. 
1,484 

1,522 
199 
113 
291 


LBS.  TVEIUHT. 

949,128 
916,824 
187,784 
77,518 
200,208 


AV.  LB9-  NETT. 

6389-10 
602  3-10 
628 


The  number  of  barrels  of  tallow  rendered  was 
5,283,  which,  at  an  average  of  250  Ibs.  per  bar- 


!:-eI,  gives  a  total  of  1,350,750  Ibs.  The  average 
weight  of  the  hides  was  a  fraction  under  80  Ibs. 
oach,  giving  the  total  weight  2,026,321  Ibs,  The 
tallow  was  principally  shipped  with  the  Beef, 
though  a  considerable  portion  was  retained  for 
local  consumption.  The  hides  were  generally 
sold  by  the  packers  to  resident  dealers,  and  are 
mostly  consumed  at  the  various  tanning  estab- 
lishments of  the  city. 

The  barrels  required  are  manufactured  in  this 
city,  and  also  in  the  neighboring  States,  Wiscon- 
sin, Indiana  and  Michigan.  They  were  quite 
plenty  during  the  season,  and  were  furnished  hi 
large  quantities  at  $1.  The  number  of  men  em- 
ployed in  this  business  is  between  five  and  six 
hundred. 

Commencing  with  the  packing  season,  prices 
•at  the  first  of  each  month  until  the  close  of  the 
year,  for  the  last  three  years,  were  as  follows : 

1851.         1852.  1853. 

September $3*375     $350a425  *4  75*550 

October 3*400       40Ja475       69JatiOO 

November 3a350       40u*475       500a600 

December 3a375       375a450       5 OOao  75 

The  following  calculation,  based  upon  the  facts 
already  adduced,  presents  the  value  of  the  pro- 
ducts which  arise  from  this  business.  The  price 
assigned  to  each  article  was  its  market  value  at 
the  close  of  the  season. 

Beef.  57,500  bbls.,  at  $10.50  per  bbl »6C3,750  00 

Tallow,  1.350.750  Jbs.  at  lOXc  per  a 141,828  75 

Hides.  3/26,321        "     We        "  106.38185 

Offal,  25.435  head,  at55c 13,98925 


from  being  stripped  of  almost  all  there  was  re- 
maining over  from  the  spring  business,  and  that 
had  arrived  during  the  summer. 

The  following  table  shows  the  amount  of  Lum- 
ber received  in  this  market  for  the  last  seven 
years : 

LUMBER.         SHINGLES.         LATH. 

1847 32,118,225  13, 148.500  6.655.7CO 

1848 60,009.250  2J,0  0,000  10,035,109 

1849 73,259,553  39,057.750  19.281,783 

1850 100,364,779  65,423,750  19,809,700 

1851 12S.056.437  60,338,250  27.  83,475 

1852 , 147.816,332  77,080,600  19,759,670 

1853 20.M01.098  93.4;3,784  39.133.116 

The  table  shows  an  increase  of  64,284,866  feet 
'  of  Lumber,  16,403,284  Shingles,  and  19,373,446 
Lath.     There  were  on  hand,  on  the  first  of  Jan- 
uary, '54,  26,580,248  feet  of  Lumber,  8,022,000 
Shingles,  4,094,295  Lath. 

We  give  the  following  table  from  the  figures 
received  from  our  merchants,  though  we  doubt 
whether  all  of  them  reported  the  full  amount  of. 
receipts  and  sales. 


SALBS. 


Totsl »865,94985 

Total  in  1852 600.62100 


ON  HAND 
JAN.   1,  '54. 

302,780  99  691 

2,634,416  2,004,100 


Increase $218,32885 

LUJIBER. 

As  we  predicted  in  our  last  commercial  re- 
view, the  Lumber  business  for  1853  has  largely 
increased  over  all  preceding  years.  Extensive 
preparations  were  made  in  1852  by  our  far-seeing 
Lumber  merchants  to  meet  the  demands  which 
the  opening  of  so  many  new  railroads  would  be 
sure  to  create ;  but  with  all  their  exertions  they 
were  only  able  to  supply  the  market  with  the 
utmost  difficulty,  and  many  large  orders  were 
obliged  to  lie  over  till  the  present  year.  The  low 
stage  of  water  in  the  Illinois  river  for  more  than 
three  months,  prevented  large  shipments  during 
the  summer  to  St.  Louis  and  other  Southern 
markets ;  and  when  the  fall  rains  had  rendered 
the  river  navigable,  it  was  impossible  to  find 
boats  to  forward  the  Lumber  that  was  waiting 
shipment.  This  circumstance  saved  our  yards 


Posts 402,471 

Timber.. .linear  ft.4,638,546 

Railroad  ties 175,2'-2 

Staves 2,110,539    Used  in  the  city 

Telegraph  Poles...      3,470 

The  Lumber  business  has  always  been  a  most 
important  part  of  our  commerce.  Ita  benefits 
are  not  confined  simply  to  the  amount  of  Lumber 
sold  here,  but  it  furnishes  a  ready  and  profitable 
market  for  our  produce  and  provisions  of  all 
kinds.  It  also  employs  a  large  number  of  vessels 
in  the  carrying  trade. 

The  great  extent  of  country  now  open  to  the 
Lumber  merchants  of  this  city  by  the  completion 
of  sixteen  hundred  miles  of  railroad,  and  the  ad- 
ditions to  be  made  during  the  present  summer, 
will  create  a  much  larger  demand  for  Lumber  in 
this  market  than  ever  before.  All  the  vast  and 
fertile  sections  of  the  State  to  the  south  and 
southwest  of  us  will  be  brought  under  cultivation 
very  rapidly,  and  the  pine  Lumber  necessary  for 
the  building  of  houses  for  our  prosperous  farmers 
must  all  come  from  Chicago.  Our  merchants 
understand  all  these  facts  perfectly,  and  have 
made  increasing  efforts  to  meet  every  contin- 
gency. There  is  no  danger  whatever  that  the- 
market  will  be  anything  more  than  supplied,  if 
indeed  it  be  possible  to  keep  up  with  the  pro- 
gress of  the  country,  and  th«  demand  which  will 
be  made  upon  us  to  furnish  our  beautiful  prairies 
with  pleasant  and  comfortable  homes,  and  our 


.cities  and  towns  with  residences  for  die  merchant 
and  artizan. 

WOOL. 

This  has  become  a  very  important  article  of 
export,  and  the  perfect  adaptation  of  our  prairies 
to  the  rearing  of  sheep,  must  tend  greatly  to  in- 
crease its  production  for  many  years  to  come. 
We  regard  also  Northwestern  Wisconsin,  Iowa 
and  Minnesota  as  peculiarly  adapted  to  "wool 
growing."  The  amount  of  Wool  handled  in  Chi- 
cago may  therefore  be  expected  to  increase  im- 
mensely within  the  next  few  years.  We  are  glad 
to  notice  a  very  commendable  spirit  of  enterprise 
among  our  farmers  to  procure  the  best  stock  that 
can  be  found  in  this  country  or  in  Europe,  in 
order  that  they  may  produce  a  superior  article 
of  Wool.  The  good  influence  of  our  Agricultural 
journals,  in  this  regard,  the  "Prairie  Farmer" 
especially,  is  worthy  of  all  praise. 

The  following  table  shows  the  amount  of  Wool 
received  in  this  market  during  the  past  year,  and 
the  sources  from  which  it  was  derived : 

By  Canal B>s..3f>2,r3 

Gulena  Railroad 353  2"<5 

0  her  Railroads ?I5,472 

Lake £9.701 

Total 10,0  WO 

The  following  shows  the  manner  iu  which  it 
was  disposed  of: 

Shipments  by  Lake tts.. 933,001 

"  C»na' 441 

"  EaaternR.  R 74,149 

Total U27.bP3 

It  will  be  noticed  that  there  is  a  slight  discre- 
pancy in  the  figures  of  the  receipts  and  ship- 
ments. There  may  be  small  lots  still  in  the  hands 
of  dealers,  or  it  may  have  been  shipped  in  some 
way  that  has  escaped  us. 

The  following  shows  the  prices  ruling  in  this 
market  for  the  last  three  years,  the  range  being 
from  the  poorest  to  the  best  qualities : 


1851. 

June 25a48 

July 28a40 

August 28a33 


1852. 
18*29 


1853. 
40i43 


25a37X      35a45 


The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  shipments 
for  12  years,  ending  in  1853  : 


1842 
1843 
1844 
1845 
184« 
1*47 


....tts..    1.500  1848.. 

22.0)0  1849. 

9-..G35  18fO. 

216/16  18H. 

281,223  1862. 

311.888  18»3. 


620.  742 
9I3.H82 


P20,l'3 
9J3.UO 


LEAD, 

This  article  has  not,  till  the  last  year,  attracted' 
any  attention  among  Chicago  merchants.  The 
near  approach  of  the  Galena  and  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral Railroads  to  the  lead  mines  of  Wisconsin, 
has  enabled  some  of  the  dealers  in  this  important 
mineral  to  make  their  shipments  by  Chicago. 
The  completion  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
to  Galena,  on  the  first  of  September,  1854,  will 
render  this  a  most  important  article  in  the  com-- 
mercial  statistics  of  the  city. 

The  following  table  shows  the  receipts  of  Lead 
for  the  past  year : 

By  Lake.. ffis..   109.150 

Canal 1.2HH.e<4 

Railroad ...1,89,009 


.3,253,763 


Total 

The  shipments  were : 


By  Lake.. lhs..3.1rO,'9'> 

Railroads 151  K50 

Total 3.2'2.C40 

The  market  for  Lead  is  without  much  fluctua- 
tion. Prices  have  ranged  from  $5.50  to  $0  per 
cwt.  for  pig,  and  5^  to  7-J  for  bar. 

FRUIT. 

There  is  a  large  amount  of  Fruit  of  all  kinds 
imported  into  this  city.  The  qnality  and  prices 
vary  so  much  that  it  is  impossible  to  give  statis- 
tics that  would  convey  any  accurate  inclination 
to  persons  at  a  distance.  We  receive  apples,, 
peaches,  pears  and  plums  from  the  central  parts 
of  our  own  State,  from  Indiana,  Michigan,  Ohio, 
and  western  New  York.  In  a  very  few  years 
the  enterprising  farmers  of  northern  Illinois  will 
be  able  to  supply  us  with  better  Fruit  r.han  we 
can  now  procure.  The  "Western  Fruit  Growersr 
Convention,"  which  met  in  this  city  in  October, 
1853,  we- think,  fully  demonstrated  the  important 
fa «t,  that  Illinois  and  Iowa  can  rear  fairer  and 
finer  fruits  than  can  be  produced  in  ihe  Eastern 
States. 

LAKE  SUPERIOR  TRADE. 

So  completely  had  our  merchant?  been  ab' 
sorbed  in  business,  and  so  thoroughly  had  their 
time  and  capital  been  occupied  in  tlie  tio>.e  that 
came  to  their  doors  "  without  asking,"  that  they 
never,  so  far  as  we  know,  bestowed  a  thought 
upon  the  Lake  Superior  mines  till  the  lust  sea- 
son. And  even  then,  the  opening  of  the  trade 
with  that  region  waa  a  mere  expeiimeut.  It  oo» 


69 


•cm-red  on  this  wise.  On  the  1st  of  August  the 
Garden  City,  a  new  and  beautiful  steamer,  ar- 
.rived  here  from  Buffalo,  to  run  on  the  western 
shore  of  Lake  Michigan,  between  this  city  and 
Sheboygan,  in  opposition  to  Clement's  line.  An 
experience.of  two  weeks  satisfied  her  owners  that 
this  would  not  be  a  "  paying  business,"  and  she 
was  advertised,  as  a  sort  of  experiment,  to  make 
.a  trip  to  the  Saut.  St«.  Marie.  She  left  OD  the 
12th  of  August,  with  a  fair  load  of  passengers  and 
freight.  We  were  assured  by  Capt.  Crooker  that 
in  every  succeeding  trip,  till  the  close  of  the  sea- 
•son,  he  was  obliged  to  refuse  some  of  the  freight 
•that  was  offered. 

The  following  table  exhibits  the  shipments  of 
produce  and  merchandise  to  the  "Soo,"  up  to 
the  close  of  navigation : 


Apples  and  Fruit.bbls 
do             do  ..sks 
do  dried  bbls 
Beans  

.  150 
.  10 
.  44 

Meal..  

—  bags 
.  ...bbls 

.2946 
.    58 

do 
Mdst-  
Oats  
Oil  
Oil  
Oil  Cake  
Pickles-  
Pork  

....hhds 
—  pkes 
..bush.. 
....bbls 
...casks 
bbls 

.      2 

.If  82 
16.492 
4 

..     2 

..    2-2 
..     40 
..1706 

do     
do     
Beef 

—  bags 
....bush 
...bbls 

.  5« 

.  SOU 

.  384 

Buffalo  robes  —  biles 
Butter  firkius 
Corn  bush 

'.1016 

.6516 

•Coffee  
Flour  

bags 
....  bbls 

.  46 
.'  860 

Rye  
Stoves  
Sugar  

....bush 
No 
bbs 

..  67^ 
..    80 
.  .  118 

•Olass  

...boxes 
.    bbl* 

.  64 
.  116 

Sugar  
Sheep,  live.. 

....hhds 

.'    36 

Hams  
Hay  
Hay  

...casks; 
bales 
tens 

.  4 

.  60' 
.  12 

Tea  
Tobacco...... 
Tobacco  

..chests 
...boxes 
....bbls 

..    5-0 
.    48 
.      4 
..  1*4 

Hogs  

.dressed 
bbls 

.  104 
.  26 

do 
do 
Whiskey  

—  bags 
....hhds 
bbls 

..1198 
.    14 
..    18 

Lead  
Liquor  
Meal....  

pige 
bbl« 
bbls 

'.  40 
.  156 

The  Garden  City  was  the  first  steamer  to  run 
regularly,  or  so  far  as  we  know  at  all,  between 
Chicago  and  the  Saut.  Ste.  Marie.  Our  merchants 
were  greatly  surprised  at  the  result  of  "  her  ex- 
periment "  We  have  already  a  line  advertised 
by  A.  T.  Spencer  &  Co  ,  to  run  regularly  twice  a 
week  during  the  coming  season.  Two  boats  will 
at  first  be  put  on,  and  more  if  necessary. 

It  needs-  but  a  moment's  reflection  to  satisfy 
any  business  man  that  Chicago  is  the  natural 
centre  for  the  Lake  Superior  trade.  We  can 
supply  the  miners  with  their  beef,  pork,  flour, 
coarse  grains,  and  in  fact  provisions,  hay,  vege- 
tables and  live  stock,  cheaper  than  it  is  possible 
for  them  to  purchase  these  necessaries  anywhere 
else.  We  cannot  see  that  any  other  city  upon 
the  Lakes  can  possibly  compete  with  us. 

For  several  years  previous  to  the  fortunate 
"experiment"  of  the  Garden  City,  the  Detroit 
and  Cleveland  merchants  in  the  Lake  Superior 
trade  would  procure  their  supply  of  provisions 
here,  have  them  shipped  round  to  their  own 
warehouses,  and  then  resbip  them  to  Lake  Su- 
perior, with  freight  and  commissions  added  Our 
Water  street  merchants  will  be  apt  to  save  them 


any  further  trouble  of  that  sort  for  all  time  to 
come.  We  have  at  least  an  equal  chance  with 
the  cities  on  Lake  Erie  to  supply  the  Lake  Supe- 
rior merchants  with  dry  goods,  as  the  freight 
upon  them  around  to  Chicago,  when  once  they 
are  loaded  upon  propellers,  is  not  worth  taking 
into  the  account.  We  need  not  stop  here  to  speak 
of  the  importance  of  the  Lake  Superior  mines  to 
onr  manufacturing  interests,  as  that  has  been 
noticed  in  another  connection  in  this  article.  It 
will  not  be  two  years  after  the  Saut.  Canal  is 
completed  before  our  trade  with  Lake  Superior 
will  form  one  of  the  largest  and  most  lucrative 
departments  of  our  commerce.  Propellers  will 
then  run  direct  from  this  city  to  all  the  ports  on 
Lake  Superior,  and  it  is  important  for  our  mer- 
chants at  once  to  make  themselves  thoroughly 
acquainted  with  the  dealers  of  that  region  and 
the  kinds  of  merchandise  adapted  to  the  wants  of 
that  market. 

CONCLUSION. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  for  us  to  recapitulate 
the  facts  which  we  have  already  stated  Busi- 
ness men  will  not  be  slow  to  draw  their  conclu- 
sions in  reference  to  the  prospects  of  Chicago. 
No  one  who  has  studied  her  unrivalled  commer- 
cial position,  and  the  richness,  beauty  and  extent 
of  the  country  by  which  she  is  surrounded,  can 
doubt  for  a  moment  that  Chicago,  at  no  distant 
day,  is  destined  to  become  the  great  Central  City 
of  the  Continent.  In  the  centre  of  one  of  the 
most  fertile  agricultural  regions  on  the  globe; 
surrounded  by  exhaustle?s  mines  of  lead,  iron, 
copper  and  coal ;  having  a  water  communication 
with  the  Atlantic  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and 
holding  the  key  to  a  coasting  trade  of  three  thou- 
sand miles,  with  more  than  a  dozen  railroads 
branching  off  for  thousands  of  miles  in  all  direc- 
tions, every  element  of  prosperity  and  substan- 
tial greatness  is  within  her  grasp.  She  fears  no 
rivals,  confident  that  the  enterprise  and  energy 
which  have  heretofore  marked  her  progress  will 
secure  for  her  a  proud  and  pre-eminent  position 
among  her  sister  cities  of  the  Uuion.  She  has 
to  wait  but  a  few  short  years  the  sure  develop- 
ment of  her  "  MANIFEST  DESTINY." 


RECEIPTS  FOR  1853. 


DESCRIPTION. 

LAKB. 
5,«32 

CAXAL.   RAILROA&. 

TOTAL 
5  W33 

"          "         fts.. 

44  078    .  . 

44078 

Agr'l  products  

93,006       432/W) 

5  •'"•  f"fi 

Ale  A  Beer,  bbls... 

14(1 
10009 

3             256 
7  '..-.-, 

399 
17464 

A»hf»,  tts>  

17,400 

967 

18,3*7 

Anchors,  No  

9« 

26 

Bark,  cd<  

719 

719 

70 


Barley,  bn  1,576 

25616 
8,761 
1.3U8 
106 
46(0o 
33,800 
134  414 

8 

77,049 
«,6ul 

136,401 

163.587 
18,394 
1,5!4 
207 
1.585,971 
2,798,414 
134,414 
13,481 
77 
812,430 
4,601 
2,328 
68,443 
2  t>33 
266  000 
44,665 
llfi 
77.096J560 
Io8  655 
2,733,119 
12.380 
238 
10 
293,752 
263 
7.456 
7,115 
12.990 
48,197 
1.591 
1,780660 
2U7.226 
88,5<4 
678.600 
317.37 
2,197,987 
85.91X 
5.915 
270,000 
9,080 
5,490,185 
609500 
852,030 
1,274,311 

8.487 
12i  '.BOO 
1  460.424 

6,070 
1K.VOO 
36.299,912 
838,r-68 
29.133  116 
3  253,763 

147  071 
405.083 
6F5 
427 

:02,10V78 
47,073 

1,645,400 

78  175 

Stone  ware,  pec..        3,708 

8  70?- 

Beans,  bu  

101 
1,239,!I66 

Stv-&  H'warc.Bs  2.f27,:02 
Sugar,  tts  149.100 
Sta'ch,  fts  35,000 
Staves,  No  2.110539 
Tfcllow.  tts  13800 

1.M39 
9,228,080 
2CO 

300 

80220 
£22,234 

360 
4,2?4,OuO 

13,66i!l8() 
35,200' 
2,110,53« 
18,813 

320 
4.638.546 
.-08,834 
175262 
3.470 
7,750 
217 
6,647 
1.389,485 
BOO 
421,660 
55 
16,187 
42,753 
38000- 
I,l30.60fr 
7,644 
2  320,000 

6,028,667 

244 
35B 
984 
13.138 
2,085 

Beef,  bbls  

Bran-&  Shorts,  tts  
Brick,  >o  2,764,614 

B.  Wheat  flour,  ftj  
Buggies  &  Wag  ns,  69 
Butt-  r  tts  
Beeswax,  Bs  
Brooms.  No  2328 

13.481 

Tar,     Pitch    and 
Turpeutine.bbls           489 
Tierces  320 
Timber,  ft  4,558.326 
Tobacco,  ttg  81600 
Ties  175  2S2 

Candles,  Bs  lo.OOi) 
Castings,  pkgs  2,635 
"           Bs  266000 
Ghees',      "  8,100 
Cider.  M>ls  11* 
Coal,  ttg  72,705,000 

43,443 

926 
1 

4,369,560 
108,655 
2,481,334 

35,639 
2WOO 

Teleg'h  poles,  no        3,470 
Trees,  no  7,750 
Vinegar,  bbls  205 
Water  lime.  bbls.        6,510 
Wheat,  bu  62,031 
Wheel  barrows..            600 
White  lead,  fts...     157451 

12 
137 
352,103 

'264'  210 

97J.351 

Coffee,  fts  

Cranberries,  Bs...        1200 
Crockery  crts.  No.          238 
Chain  cable*,     "             10 

H,lcO 

Wood,  cdt  12  000 
W'den  ware,  PCS.       42.  753 

'     Bs..        38,0014 

:::::::: 

4187 

Esgs,  bb's  2 

202 
7456 
3 
12.9PO 

59 

Wool,  tts  69,700     302,173 
Water  pipe,  pc?.         7,644    . 
tts..  2,320.000    
Articles  not  enu- 
merated, fts  ....       30,680    2  256,517 

LIVE  STOCK. 

£68  727 
3,741.550 

244 

953 
13.138 
2,085 

F'sh.bbls  7,112 

Flax,  tts  

Flour,  bbls  2265 

7,223 

3e,808 

Fur're&Bsg'e.  pk       1.6P1 
"     Bi.     I>.MU 
Fruit,  tts  3>00 

140  029 
203,426 
48,516 

1X8,710 
14  220 
1.057  363 
85,918 

1,603  621 

Furs  A  Peltr's.lbs.  3,20u 

36,867 
489,890 

i  iib'oai 

Cattle,  head  9! 

Glass,  tts  3'o3.1oO 
Grass  seed,  tts...  54,600 
Grea°e  tts  

Grind  stones,  tts.  5,915 
Gas  pipe  tts...  .  270100 

Horses,    "    SI 
Hogs  

Hair  "  8,40  J 

680 
5.206.222 
494.500 
852.030 

""7',i"63 

SHIPMENTS  FOR  1853. 

Hams  &  Bacon,  fts  276  Ouu 
Hay.  Bs  15,000 

Hides  &  Skins,  Bs.       3,26  > 
High   Wines   and 
Whiskev.  bb's..       1J67 
Hj>s,  Head'g,  Ac.    120,600 

873,546 
S76 

397,5  B 

Ag'l  Implt's  No....        351 

ftS  

718,867 

121,574 
i'M 

SOiil'OO 
lil.,275 
39'ri 
04  49!;' 
5.500. 
133,447 
12,!-  Ou 
2022 
4b7 
4PB.86S 
J77.388 
450 
12 
33791 
13d 
5.9-7.774 
519 
2.780,253 
1,200 
1,120 
177 
7,525 
104,476 
1,128 
1,200 
2.093 
74.190 
264 
1,656,274 
2,488 
153.785 

2,185',26!' 
141 
71 
96 
58,735 
9,266.318 
668 
52,000 
3.957 
300 

7.027 
21,050 
26,871 
82.145 
62.44ft 
57,901 
1,105 

ij  i  .  .    ^on 

245.190 
920 
16  20H 
73,856 

£66,668 

1.286.604 

131.I21 
19,127 
469 
70 

1.215.234 

Ag'l  Products  

15,7f2 
41 

105.H;! 
182 
123 

Hops,  "  ..  7,750 
Horns  *'  
Iron  &  Nails,  ".33875.640 
Lard.  "  ..  21900 
Lat'i  No  39,133116 
Lead,  tts  108,150 

Ale  and  Betr,  bbls.          68 
Apples,  bbls  785 
Ashes,  fts  41,000 
Bark,  fts  

2,356;4i6 

.  45  52<> 
6t6  100 

3 

119 

""Kt'OO 

6.900 

1.  589,009 
1 

Barley  &  tvliUr,  bu.    79.689 
Beans  bu  3841 

id  527 
132 
16 

"130.447 

Lead  uipe.    sheet 
end  roll,  tts  15450 
Leather.      "  326.020 
Lime,  bbls.                    225 

Beef,  bbls.      ...         643(4 

k  eeswax.  ft.s  5.iOO 
Bran  and  Shorts  
Brief,  no  6000 

Liquor,"  357 

Broom  torn,  ha'cn     2022 
BuxKies  &  Wag'ns    

Locornot'ves,  No.  22 
Lumber,  ft  191  879,111 

467 

54.1115 
37,073 

""7,460 
62.146 
1.000 
£25,9.-7 

10,167,352 

"Ibs   

466,865 

Machinery,  tts...  10^00(1 
Marble,  pieces;..  2.739 
Marble,  fts  l.RSx.OOO 

ButUr.  Bs  5\'5.800 
Candles,  fts  
Castings,  pkgs....          12 
Cheese,  tts  

""450 

7U88 

Meal,  tts  

16,0:9 
11,920 
21,067,221 
25,278 
47.250 

2.918 
£5 
769,64i 
519 
25 
1200 

30,873 

Mdze,  pkgs  '  03j<  8W 

Oider.  bbls  81 

,M  dzts  Bs  13,589.500 
MiU.gals  

34.982,678 
25.278 
47.250 
2,309,978 
:J40 
1,473.041 
245 
117 
690 
S.548,070 

Co«l.  BS  2t"3,000 
Coffee,  tts  

4,585,1.9 

Cori,  r-u  2,739,55;; 

40,676 

MoiaKes,  "....  115,000 
Oakum,  bales  34u 
t'ats,  bu  
Oil,  bbls  245 

2,194,978 

Col'n.  raw  inhales    ..r... 
Crnnberries,  tts  

971.350 

501,6!>1 

f'opper.  pigs  177 

Paint,  bbls  117 

Dried  Fruit,  Ba....    4k.2(!0 
Eggs,  bbls  1,121 

""7 

66.276 

P'ches,  bsks  4  bis  690 
Pig  iron  8.484  uOO 

64,1,70 

Feathers.  Bs  l,°(li) 

Plas'r  AS-uc.  hbl         1,286 
Pc-rk  in  bbls  24 
Porkinhogtts  
Potatoes,  bu  2.637 
Powder,  tts  808.000 

16 

3,045  924 
41,936 

1,302 

1  1     2    :0 

3,04  ,924 

808'l?00 
403,471 
84,755 
3,503.718 

Pish,  bbls  258 

1  XM 

11,191 
'200 

Flour,  hblp  70  984 

1,107 

2,099 

Fur.  &  Bagg'e,  i<kgs        264 
14"                         tts    

828468 

827.806 

"'V.iio 

756,578 

Furs  &  PeHries,  pks     2,488 
Bs 

Posts,  No  402.471 

Pickets  84,755 

Fruit,  B«  

1(9.?93 
174.6(0 
29,341 

Provisions,  ftj  

3»  1V0 

3  4S"i  528 

Piles,  No  2«!i« 
Bazs,  tts  3.900 

"39.'3a'6 

"Va.iiia 

2.696 
43,250 
174,142 
84286.792 

1,885,736 
4 
1,899 
1,122 
352 
47.335 
K1789 

PS  483J84 
201.015 
218  689 
312,166 
1.195 
64,000 
1,953,537 
70,010 
100  BOO 
47,500 

Grasa  seed.  Bs  1  8i>9.35f 
Grind  gtonrs  141 
Ginseng,  bbls  71 
Hair,  h  les  96 
Hair,  ft*  
Hams  &  Bacon,  tts.  8.554  580 
Hay  bales                         rtt8 

R.  R.  Iros.  hart-..    174,142 
"      tts....f!4  21  '4,000 
"    Furnisn'g,  B  l,S35,7o6 

58,735 
6,225 

'Voe'dis 

Rosin,  M)  s  1  899 

Rye.  bu  21 

3,94  < 

1,162 

Hay.  Bs  52,000 

Saleratus,  Bs  47,050 
Sal',  hbl«  61,4(8 

38 
6.231 

302.'666 

'  16i',537 
10 

""343 

Hemp,  Bs  
H'gh    wines      and 
Whiskev.  bb's...        5,273 
Hoop.  &  Heading..     £1,050 
••  Bs  

300 

816 

62,645 

938 

Salt  bgs  90640 

Shinnies.  NO  93/06.7»4 
Shingle  bolts,  cds      15,668 
Shot,  tts  
Soap    fts  9..000 
SteH.b  s  &  slats.        1.195 
Steel,  Bs  54.000 
Stone  &  Plate,  Ibs.  1,792,000 
Stone  dressed,  "        7u,t)00 
Ftone  ware.  ft?...     100,  ifl 
"         "     gals..       47.500 

277,000 

Hops,  tts  19,300 
Horns-  A  H.'Ofn.tts.      fi'.44i> 
Hides  &  i-kins  57,f'01 
"     bdls.       l.ltti 
'      BS  

6>-98 

Iron  &  Nails,  Bs  
T,arri,  tts.             .      1  846  '  00 

2.154,4  7 
l.HH 

11,279  9J8 

6,067.4*6 

8,221,903 
1.847,852- 

•;.:-n>d. 

Lath.  BO.... 

6,663,906 

71 


Lead,  tts  3100,990 
Lead   pipe,    siieet 
and  roll,  tts  7,500 
Leathsr  270.SOO 

540    . 

151.660 

3  252,650 

7,940 
424,.Hti 
2,1  0 
1.593 
88,909.343 
830,^42 
320 
861981 
355,420 
I6.1H3 
122.207,050 
41.502 
20,761 
1,748,493 
322 
3,020 
126.000 
15,75i 
3,219,534 
is55.16i 
29,809 
220,916 
IMS 
379,924 
61,566 
1,374 
923,700 
2,500 
19,361.776 
41,514 

40l6uO 

82,lr.2 

76.784 

Salt,  bbls  

1.242 

24.404 
2fq  515 

12,174 

37,920 
2.W.515 

60.800,300  20,542,250  71,442,350 
290    

141.281 
1.417 
748    . 

7.765 
640 

"      bolts,  cda. 

Lime,  bbls  

43 
845 
149.000 

"'3-56 

2,058 
47,313 

2.058 

613.112 
160 

2.456.231 
40.94(1 
240,708 
540,469 

13,585 
218.852 
20 
125 
82.413 
4.998 
28J 
163 
1.310,048 
11625 
3,292 
1,027,693 

459,160 

2,657 
172 
4,341 
114 

Liquor,  bb's  

Steel,  " 

Lumber,  ft  

58.026  05*5  30 
^30,042    . 

.734  292 

26 
240.000 

Machinery,  tts... 
Mirble,  PCS  

ftS  

"    tts  
"    dressec.  tts. 
Rtvs  &  H'ware,  tts. 

""iio 

2,444,382 
40.940 

373,112 

861.981    . 

11,849 

Meal,  fts  

352.600 
16.633 
17.640,000 

2,004 

9i77i.'Jyrt  94 
16,800 
20,761    . 

816 

795354 

24702 

Maze,   pkgs  

Staved,  no  

538'  900 

240,708 
1,569 

13585 
218,852 

Millstones,  tts.... 
Molasses,  tta  

Tar,     Pitch     and 
Turpentine,  tts.. 
Timber,  ft.        . 
Tobacco,   lihds.... 
"          bis  . 

Oils,  bu  

1,633.842 
107 
3,020 

483 
215    . 

114,163 

""20 
125 

Oil,  bbls  

Oil  Cake,  bbls  

126,000 

"  .       tts  

82.413 
4998 

Paint,  fts  

15.752    . 

Pijf  Iron,  ftj  

2,832.000 

273,334 

114.200 
355,  1*J 
1647 
194916 
35 

280 
57 
1.618 
11,625 
2,292 
444 

459,160 
STOCK. 

Plast-r  &  stuc.  fts 
Pork   bbls  
Pork  in  UOK.  tts.. 
Potatoes,  bu  

W  ater  lime,  bbls.. 
Wheat,  bu  

106 
1,206.163 

953'.  166 

LIVE 

117 
2 
1548 
36 

27,814 
26,000 
878 

343 

102,267 

While  lead.  fts.... 
Wooden  ware.  n>d  .  . 
Wool,  tts  

92 

379.924    . 

Powder,  tts  

74,149 

2.540 
170 
2.793 
138 

Other  articles  not 
enumerated,  tts. 

Cattle  

1374 

Provisions,  tts.... 
Rags, 
Railroad  Iron,  fts. 
R.  R.  furnish's,  tts 
Rosia,  fts  

923.000 
2,500 

'.       40,000 

700    . 

19,361.766    . 

"3,'5l4 

15.200    . 

40,000 

Rye,  bu  

Saleratus,  tts.... 

81,594 
2.200 

"74.'584    . 

568 

Hogg  

Sheec.... 

NOTE. 

The  past  has  been  an  eventful  Summer  for  Chicago.  The  Spring  opened  with  an  unusual  degree 
of  prosperity.  Improvements  of  all  kinds  were  going  forward  with  great  rapidity,  and  business  of 
all  kinds  was  very  active.  So  healthy  was  the  city  that  the  Board  of  Health  had  not  thought  it  ne- 
cessary to  make  regular  reports. 

The  week  succeeding  the  Fourth  of  July  was  excessively  hot,  and  on  Friday,  Saturday  and  Sunday, 
July  7,  8,  and  9th,  the  cholera  caoie  upon  us  like  a  thunderbolt.  The  most  extravagant  stories  were 
widely  circulated  hi  reference  to  its  fatality  in  the  city;  a  portion  of  our  citizens,  without  stopping  to 
investigate  the  facts,  fled  in  "hot  haste,"  and  for  a  week  or  two  everything  was  at  a  stand. 

When  time  had  been  allowed  to  investigate  the  facts,  it  was  found  that  Chicago  had  not  suffered 
so  much  from  the  disease  as  some  other  neighboring  cities.  The  reports  of  the  City  Sexton  showed 
that  the  total  deaths  on  the  days  above  named  had  averaged  only  from  forty  to  forty-four,  and  thir- 
ty-six was  the  highest  number  that  had  died  of  cholera  on  either  of  the  days  above  named.  During 
several  of  the  succeeding  weeks  the  deaths  by  cholera  averaged  from  twelve  t"  twenty.  This,  for  a 
city  of  seventy  thousand  inhabitants,  is  not  a  large,  mortality.  When  the  statistics  for  the  year  are 
made  out,  we  are  satisfied  that  Chicago  will  fully  maintain  the  position  she  has  heretofore  acquired, 
of  being  one  of  the  healthiest  cities  in  the  Union. 

By  the  first  of  August  business  began  to  revive,  and  it  has  been  steadily  increasing,  till  we  now 
find  our  streets  crowded  to  overflowing  Our  merchants,  our  mechanics,  and  manufacturers  of  all 
kinds  have  al!  the  business  they  can  possibly  do.  Let  those  who  love  to  work,  and  who  know  how 
to  do  it,  come  to  Chicago.  There  is  not  a  spot  in  the  wide  world  where  honest  industry  is  so  sure 
of  a  competence — we  might  say,  a  fortune.  Our  railroads  are  pouring  an  immense  flood  of  trade 
and  travel  into  the  city,  and  Chicago  is  making  rapid  progress  in  wealth,  population  and  substantial 
improvement.  Our  beet  informed  men  are  satisfied  that  the  coining  new  year  will  find  at  least 
eighty  thousand  people  in  Chicago,  and  by  another  year  from  that  time  the  footings  will  be  very 
handsomely  beyond  a  hundred  thousand. 

We  owe  an  apology  to  our  friends  for  delaying  this  edition  to  so  late  a  day  in  the  season.  The 
truth  is,  our  job  office  has  been  so  crowded  with  work  that  it  was  impossible  to  get  anything  done 
for  ourselves.  Our  presses  now  run  by  steam,  and  we  have  otherwise  largely  increased  our  facilities 
to  meet  the  wants  of  our  growing  city.  The  public  may  rest  assured  that  no  effort  shall  be  spared 
by  the  Editors  and  Proprietors  of  the  Press  to  advance  the  interests  and  secure  the  commercial  su- 
premacy of  the  Empire  City  of  the  Mississippi  valley. 

CHICAGO,  Oct.  7th,  1854. 


72 


JAMES  H.  REES. 


SAMUEL  H.  KERFOOT. 


EEES  &  KEKFOOT, 


leal  (feiaie  aito  S»tork  Irobrs, 

x_ s  \^_s 

NO.  48  CLARK  STREET,  CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS, 


WILL   ATTEND   TO    THE 


PAYMENT  OF  TAXES, 
EXAMINATION  OF  LANDS,  INVESTIGATION  OF  TITLES,  iC., 

IN 

Illinois,  Wisconsin,  Michigan  and  Northern  Indiana, 


Messrs.  OGDEN,  JONES  &  Co.,  Chicago,  Illinois. 
J.  YOUNG  SCAMMON,  Esq.,  "  " 

Col.  K.  K.  SWIFT,  Banker, 
CHARLES  BUTLER,  Esq.,  New  York. 
ABEL  T.  ANDERSON,  Esq.,  "        " 
Hon.  J.  A.  ROCKWELL,  Norwich,  Conn. 
HENRY  D.  MAXWELL,  Esq  ,  Easton,  Pa. 


THOS.  STINSON,  Esq.,  Hamilton,  C.  W. 


WILLIAM  S.  JOHNSTON,  Esq.  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
WILLIAM  GREENE,  Esq.,  "  " 

WILLIAM  S.  SAMPSON,  Esq.,       "  " 

Messrs.  ELLIS  &  STURGESS,         "  " 

WILLIAM  G.  HARRISON,  Esq.,  Baltimore,  Md. 
E.  E.  HUNDLEY,  Esq.,  Charlotte,  C.  H.,  Va. 
Messrs.  LEIGHT,  HITE  &  Co.,  Louisville,  Ky. 


The  rapid  growth  of  CHICAGO,  and  the  consequent  enhancement  of  REAL  ESTATE  in  and  about  it, 
have  made  necessary  the  establishment  of  a  convenient,  systematic  and  reliable 


dfc? 

From  actual  acquaintance  with  City  and  Country  Real  Estate  in  and  about  Chicago,  (Mr.  REES  hav- 
ing been  engaged  in  the  actual  survey  of  almost  the  whole  of  the  City,  from  1835  to  the  present, 
and  of  all  the  lands  surrounding  it,)  otfer  to  the  public  generally  inducements  rarely  to  be  met  with 
in  purchasing  and  selling  Real  Estate. 

They  have  the  privilege  of  referring  to  the  above  name  gentlemen  in  various  parts  of  the  United 
States,  and  propose,  in  accordance  with  their  card  above,  to 


PAY  TAXES  ON  LANDS  AND  CITY  LOTS, 

EXAMINE  AND  REPORT  UPON  THE  VALUE  AND  QUALITY  OF  LANDS  AND  LOTS* 
And,  in  fine,  do  everything  connected  with  a  legitimate  REAL  ESTATE  BROKERAGE. 


73 


FOREIGN  AND  DOMESTIC  EXCHANGE   OFFICE. 
UNITED  STATES, 


EXCHANGE  ON  CITIES  in  the  UNITED  STATES, 
CANADA,  AND  CONTINENTAL  EUfiOPE- 

ON    ENGLAND. 

Baring,  Brothers  &  Co London. 

London  find  Westminster  Bank.  ...tot  hbury,  London. 
Bank  of  British  N.  America,  St  Helen's  Place,  London 
Guion  &  Co.,  No,  Slower  Chambers Liverpool. 

ON  SCOTLAND. 

NATIONAL  BAKK  OF  SCOTLAND EDINBURGH. 

BRANCHES  AT 

Aberdeen,  Glasgow,  Kjrkwall, 

Airdrie,  Forres.  Kirriemuir, 

Anstruther,  Fort  William,         Laniiholro, 

Banff,  Galashiels.  Leith, 

Bathgate,  Falkirk.  Montroge, 

Burn  .island,  Granton,  N»irn, 

Castle  D  usUs,      Hawick,  Oban, 

Coupir- Angus,       Inverness,  Perth, 

Dalkeith.  Inverary,  Pqrtree, 

Ding  wall.  Is!  ay,  Stirling, 

Dumfries,  Jedburg,  Btornoway, 

Dundee,  Kelso,  Stromness, 

East  Linton,          Kirkcaldy,  Whithorn, 

Lochmaben,  Newton-Stewart. 

ON  IRELAND. 

PROVINCIAL  BANK  OF  IRELAND DUBLIN. 

BRANCHES. 
Peter  Jones,  Fsq 29  Eden  Quay,  Dublin. 

ON    HOLLAND. 
Goll&  Co imsterdam 

ON     FRANCE. 

ALLIKZ.  GRAND  &  Co  ,  14  Rue  de  Trevise PARIS, 

Chrystie,  Heinrich  &  Co Havre. 

ON    GERMANY. 

M.  A.  de  Rothschilds  &  Sons Frankfort,  0.  M. 

J.  GollA  tons 

I.  Lang's  Widow,  Sous  &  C'o Bremen. 

Gol)  A  Co Amsterdam,  (Holland,) 

Mendelssohn  Bartholdy Hamburg. 

Mendelssohn  a  Co Berlin 

W.  H.  Ladenburg  &,  Sons Manheim,  Baden, 

ON  AUSTRIA. 
I.  H.  Stametz  &  Co Vienna. 

ON    NORWAY. 

Jacob  Dybwad  &  Sons, Christiana. 

H.  Helland Bergen. 

ON    SWEDEN. 

0,  D.  Arfwedson Stockholm. 

ON    NEW   YORK. 
G.  8.  Robbing  &  Sons,  52  Wall  street.... New  York  City. 

C.  K.  Habicht  4  Co 

Bank  of  Attica Buffalo, 

Union  Bank  of  Albany Albany. 

Cayujja  County  Bank Auburn. 

ON    MASSACHUSETTS. 

Grccers  Bank Boston, 

ON    NEW    HAMPSHIRE. 

Piscataqua  Exchange  Bank Portsmouth. 

ON    RHODE    ISLAND. 
Blackstone  Canal  Bank Providence. ' 

D.  W.  Vaughn  &  Co 

ON    PENNSYLVANIA. 

W.  H.  NewboldA  Son Philadelphia. 

A.Wilkins&Co Pittsburgh 

ON    MARYLAND. 

McKiiu,  Greenway  t  Go., Baltimore. 

ON    DISTRICT    OF    COLUMBIA. 

Chubb  Brothers Washington. 

ON    LOUISIANA. 

Judson  £  Co New  Orleans. 

ON    OHIO. 

Kllis  A  Sturgeg Cincinnati. 

T.  S.  Goodinan&  oo 

ON    KENTUCKY. 

A.  D,  Hunt  It  Co Louisville. 

ON    CONNECTICUT. 

State  Bank Hartford. 

Winste.l  B .ink West  Winsted. 

Hurlbut  Bank West  Wimted 

ON    MICHIGAN. 

Peninsular  Bunk Detroit. 

Ransom  A  Dodge Kalamazoo. 

Daniel  Ball  &  Oo Grand  Kapidg, 


ON    INDIANA. 

Branch  of  State  Bank Michigan  City. 

Back  of  the  Capital Indianapolis . 

ON    IOWA. 

Green,  Thomss  &  Co Burlington, 

Maclot  &  C'rr-in Davenport. 

CoolbougJi  &  Brooks Burlington. 

ON    ILLINOIS. 

N.  ConwirhA  f\> Galena,  Jo  T>avip«co. 

N.  B  Curtiss  &  Co Pe«ria,  Peoria  co. 

William   Paul Peru,  Las»lle  co. 

H.  Baldwin Lasalle, Lasalle  co, 

M.  H.frwi't Ottawa. 

UriOsgood Joliet,  Will  co. 

Clark's  Exchange  Bank Pprinnficld.  Sangamon  co. 

McLean  County  Bank Bloomington.  McLean  co. 

P.  M    Dowst Waukeg-in.  Lake  eo. 

Rwbertson,  Eastman  &  Co '  ixon,  Lee  co. 

Robertson.  Coleman  &  Co Rockford.  Winnebagoco. 

Bank  of  Elgin Vlg  n.  Kine  co. 

Mathtwson  &  Gooding Lockport  Will  co. 

Taylor  &  Bronson, Freeport,  Stephenson  Co.,  111. 

ON    MISSOURI. 

Page  A  Bacon St.  Louis. 

ON   WISCONSIN. 

Kneeland  AHull Milwaukee,  Wls. 

Dirlinu,  Wright  &  Co Fonddu  Lac. 

Thos.  Wright Kenosha. 

E  D    Rich*r<ls"n Geneva. 

Oslikosh  City  Bank Oshkosh. 

Wisconsin  Bank Mineral  Point. 

ON    MINNESOTA    TERRITORY. 

J.  Geo.  Lennon St.  Anthony's  Falls. 

ON    CALIFORNIA. 

E.  &  R.  K.  SWIFT Sacramento. 

ON    SANDWICH    ISLANDS. 

Hon.  D.  L.  Gregg Honolulu. 

ON    CANADA. 

Banks  of  British  North  America Quebec. 

Montreal. 
Toronto. 
Hamilton. 
Kingston. 
Brantford. 
"  "  London.* 


ON   NEW   BRUNSWICK. 
Bank  of  British  North  America —  


St,  Johns. 


The  follow'ng  Bankers  in  London  grant  credits  or 
dm)  s  on  the  undersigned,  viz: 
Baring.  Brothers  A  Co. 

The  London  and  Westminster  Rank,  Lothbnry. 
Glyn,  Mills*  Co. 
Hitnbeyg  &  Co.,  and  Coutts  &  Co. 

Persons  residing  in  the  iaterior  of  England,  Scotland 
or  Ireland,  desiring  to  remit  money  to  their  friends  in 
the  Western  Stales  or  Territories  of  the  United  States, 
can  do  so  by  lodging  their  money  with  the  nearest 
Bank,  and  requesting  the  manager  to  procure,  either 
of  the  Messrs.  Baring  Bro.,  A  Co..  or  of  the  London  and 
Westminster  Bank,  a  Letter  d  Credit  for  the  amount, 
payable  at  Chicago,  in  favor  of  the  person  in  the  United 
States,  to  whom  they  wish  to  remit  money,  which  Let- 
ters of  Credit  will  be  cashed  by  the  undersigned  at  Chi- 
cago, or  if  required,  can  be  made  available  with  any  of 
the  correspondents  of  the  undersigned  throughout  the 
United  States;  or  otherwise,  money  maybe  lodged  to 
the  credit  of  the  undersigned  with  the  Provincial  Bank 
of  Ireland.  Dub. in;  National  Bank  of  Pcotland,  Edin- 
burgh; or  with  any  of  the  houses  in  the  OLD  COUNTRY 
above  numed;  and  the  sum  so  lodged  will  be  paid  by  the 
undersigned  to  the  person  iu  whose  f*vor  the  same  may 
be  advised  by  the  bank  or  house  receiving  the  same. 

Particular  care  should  be  taken  to  give  the  plain  and 
full  address  of  the  person  in  whose  lavor  the  Letter  of 
Credit  is  requested,  and  when  practicable,  the  signature 
and  residence  ol  the  person  in  whose  favor  the  credit  is 
to  be  issued,  should  be  forwarded  along  with  the  order 
for  the  Letter  of  Credit. 

The  undersicned  invests  money  for  the  benefit  of 
capitalists,  in  Europe  or  in  the  United  States,  in  Coupon 
Bonds,  secured  uron  first  clats  productive  city  of  Chi- 
cago real  estate  securities,  yielding  rents  at  rates  vary  • 
ing  from  eight  to  twelve  per  cent,  per  «nnum,  OB  the 
valuation  ofthe  securities,  and  the  principal  and  in- 
terest upon  the  bonds  made  payable  either  in  the  eity 
of  New  Ytrk.  London,  Dublin,  Paris,  Frankfort  on  the 
Maine,  asd  the  interest  guaranteed  to  be  paid  half 
yearly,  at  rates  varying  from  eight  to  ten  per  cent 
per  annum. 

R.  K.  SWIFT,  Banker. 


DEMOCRATIC  PRESS  PRHTIEHOM 

45  CLAEK  STREET,  CHICAGO. 

MAMMOTH  ENTERPRISE. 
PRINTING  FOR  THE  MILLION! 


&    ^^  M» 
ESTABLISHMENT  IN  CHICAGO,  IN  FULL  BLAST. 

We  are  now  prepared  to  fill  orders  with  the  greatest  expedition,  and  in  the  cheapest,  neatest, 
and  most  workmanlike  manner.  Having  in  our  employ  the  most  skillful  and  artistic  men  in  the  pro- 
fession, we  can  safely  challenge  all  competition.  We  are  daily  receiving  new  and  fashionable  styles 
of  Plain  and  Ornomental  Job  Type,  and  are  prepared  to  order  Type  or  Cuts  to  suit  customers  of  the 
most  fastidious  taste,  as  no  money  or  pains  shall  be  spared  to  give  entire  satisfaction.  We  have 
now  in  operation  one  of  the  most  beautiful  Engines  ever  manufactured, 

Q5    XaiOiFS-SIE] 

Also,  the  following  Power  Presses,  running  by  steam: 


HOK'»  MAMMOTH  CYLINDER,  2,000  impressions  per  hour 
ADAMS'  SUPERIOR  BOOK  MACHINE,    1.500          "  " 

HOE'S  JOB  CYLINDER,  "Clipper,"       3,000  "          " 

ADAMS'  SUPERIOR  BLANK  JOBBER,    2,000  "          " 

HOE'S  SUPERIOR  CARD  PRESS,  2,500          "  " 


HOE'S  MAMMOTH  WASHINGTON  POSTER  PRESS. 
HOE'S  MEDIUM  FANCY  JOB  PRESS  for  Colors. 
HOE'S  SUPERROYAL  TINT  AND  ORNAMENTAL  PRESS. 
HOE'S  DOUBLE  MEDIUM  JOBBER,  expressly  for  the  accommo 
dation  of 


Who  purchase  their  Goods  in  Chicago,  and  who  will  save  money  by  calling  on  us  for  their  supply 
of  Printing,  in  any  form.     We  keep  constantly  on  hand  a  full  supply  of 

PLAIN,  COLORED,  FANCY  PAPER  &  CARD  BOARD, 

From  which  Customers  will  find  it  desirable  to  select  to  suit  their  own  tastes.     All  orders  for  Book 
or  Job  Printing,  from  abroad  as  well  as  at  home,  attended  to  promptly,  on  the  shortest  notice. 

DROP  IN,  FRIENDS,  AND  LEAVE  YOUR  ORDERS. 

SCBIPPS,  BROSS  &  SPEARS, 

CHICAGO,  1854. 


75 


MERCHANTS'  AND   MECHANICS'  BANK, 

OF  CHICAGO. 
39  CL.ARK  STREET. 

This  Bank  will  make  collections  and  remit  pro- 
ceeds at  current  rates  of  Exchange. 

The  highest  current  rates  paid  for  Bills  of  Ex- 
change, Gold  and  Silver. 

Notes  discounted  at  the  regular  banking  rates. 
Exchange  on  principal  cities  in  the  United 
States  for  sale. 

Interest  allowed  on  deposits. 

DIRECTORS. 

James  H.  Woodworth,         Rice  Fay, 
John  S.  Buchanan,  Levi  D.  Boone, 

John  Denniston,  William  H.  King, 

John  H.  Foster,  Aylmer  Keith, 

Stephen  Bronson,  Jr. 
L.  D.  BOONE,  Pres't.     S.  BRONSON,  Jr.,  Cash. 

NOTICE. 

The  Stockholders  of  this  Bank  having  become  j 
interested  in  the  Cherokee  Insurance  and  Bank-  i 
ing  Company  of  Dalton,  Georgia,  hereby  pledge  . 
them«elves  to  redeem  the  circulating  Notes  of  j 
,«aid  Insurance  and  Banking  Company,  at  their  ! 
Banking  House  in  this  city,  in  exchange  on  New  j 
York  at  the  current  rates.  The  stockholders,  I 
by  provision  of  its  charter,  are  made  personally 
liable  for  its  issues. 

The  said  circulating  notes  will  be  received  by 
this  Bank  on  the  same  terms  as  Kentucky,  Ohio 
and  Indiana  Bank  Notes. 

By  order  of  the  Board  of  Directors, 

S.  BRONSON,  Jr.,  Cashier. 

COniMEUCIAL  EX*HA\GE  COMPANY, 

BANKING  AND  EXCHANGE  OFFICE, 

CORNER  OF  CLARK  AND  RANDOLPH  STS. 

Exchan.'  e  Uncurrent  Money,  and  Gold  or  Sil- 
ver Com  bought  and  sold. 

HENTRY  MOORE,  President. 

A.  GILBERT,  Sec'y. 

PHCENIX    BANK. 

N.  C.  ROE  &  CO., 
Bankers  and  Exchange  Brokers, 

42  CLARK  ST.,  CHICAGO,  ILL. 

E.  H.  HUNTINGTON  &  CO, 
BANKERS  AND  BROKERS, 

NO.  34  CLARK  STREET,  CHICAGO,  ILL. 

Stocks,  Exchange,  GoW  and  Silver,  and  Un- 
current Money  bought  and  sold. 

Collections  of  Notes,  Drafts,  Dividends,  <tc., 
promptly  made  at  the  lowest  rates. 

Accounts  opened  and  Interest  allowed  on 
Moneys  received  on  Deposit. 

GEO.  SMITH^CO7BANKERS 

AND  DEALERS    IN 

FOREIGN  AND  DOMESTIC  EXCHANGE, 

CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS. 

Collections  made  on  all  the  principal  cities  in  the 
United  States  on  the  most  favorable  terms. 


EXCHAWOE    BANK. 


H.  A.  TUCKER  &  CO., 
BANKERS   AND   DEALERS    IN    EXCHANGE, 

CORNER  OF  CLARK  AND  LAKE  STS., 

CHICAGO,  ILL. 

Collections  made  in  all  the  different  cities  in 
the  Union.  Exchange  sold  at  the  lowest  current 
rates. 


MARINE  1MNK, 

Wo.  37.      Clark  Street.       Wo.  37. 

DIRECTORS: 

J.  Young  Scammon,         George  W.  Dole, 
Buckner  S.  Morris,  Hugh  T.  Dickey, 

Benj.  W.  Raymond,          Mark  Skinner, 
Albert  Neely,  John  P.  Chapin, 

Franklin  Scammon. 

J.  Y.  SCAMMON,  President 
EDWARD  I.  TIKKHAM,  Cashier. 

^  OF  IIUTO." 


FORREST  BRO'S  &  CO., 
EXCHANGE  AND  BANKING  OFFICE, 

65  CLARK  STREET,  CHICAGO,  ILL. 

Exchange  on  the  East  and  South.     Also  on  Great 

Britain  and  Ireland. 

The  highest  current  rates  paid  for  Domestic 
and  Foreign  Bills  of  Exchange,  and  Gold  and 
Silver  Coin.  Drafts  and  Notes  collected.  Inte- 
rest allowed  on  time  and  current  deposits. 

A.  J.  BROWN,  President. 
H.  L.  FORREST,  Cashier. 

BANK  OF  COMMERCED 

DAVISSON,  M'CALLA  &  CO.. 


50  CLARK  STREET,  CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS. 
Buy  and  sell  Exchange,  Coin  and  Uncurrent 
Money;  receive  deposits;  discount  good  business 
paper,  and    make   collections    throughout    the 
United  States. 

ENOS  AYRES.  J.  G.  HAMILTON. 

AYRES  &  HAMILTON, 

REAL    ESTATE    BROKERS. 
103  Randolph  Street, 

Will  attend  to  the  Purchase  and  Sale  of   Real 
Estate,  Payment  of  Taxes,  £c. 

J.  B.  F.  RUSSELL.  WM.  F.  I)'WOLF. 

J.  B.  F.  RUSSELL  &  CO., 

REALESTATE  BROKERS, 

AND  GENERAL  AUI TIONEERS, 

CHICAGO. 


JAMES  A.  MARSHALL. 


CHAS.  B.  WELLS. 


J.  A.  MARSHALL  &  CO. 


AND  GENERAL 

AUCTION  AND  rOJIMISblOX  MERCHANTS, 

16  DEARBORN  STREET,  CHICAGO,  ILL. 
Cash  advances  made  on  Consignments. 


76 


L.  D.  OLMSTED  &  CO., 
'DEALERS  IN 

FANCY  AND  STAPLE  DRY  GOODS, 

142  L4KE  STREET,  CHICAGO,  ILL. 
A.  G.  BURLEV.  JNO.  TYRRELL. 

A.  G.  BURLEY  &  CO., 

IMPORTERS  AND  DEALERS  IN 

CROCKERY,   CHINA,   GLASS  AND   BRITANNIA 
WARES, 

Patent  Solar  Hiiiiiclnir  and  Parlor  I/»mp», 

TABLE   CUTLERY,  LOOKING-GLASSES,  ETC.,  ETC.' 

NO.    175  LAKE  STREET,  CHICAGO. 


..  :Kr:E3:E3:F% 

Nos.  242  and  244  South  Water  Street, 
CHICAGO,   ILLINOIS, 

GENERAL  AGENT  FOR 
DAVIDSON'S  FIRE  KtNG  SAFES  &  EXPRESS  CHESTS, 

Thatcher's  Car  Wheels, 

LOCOMOTIVE  AND  SIDE  TAMPS. 

JOHN  S.  BUCHANAN  &  CO., 
LAND  AGENTS, 

100  EANDOLPH  STREET.  CHICAGO,  ILL., 

Will  attend  to  the  Purchase  and  Sale  of  Real 
Estate,  Payment  of  Taxes,  &c. 

PAPER,  PAPER,  PAPER! 


G.  G.  &  L.  LAFLIN. 

PAPER  COMMISSION    MERCHANTS, 

175  SOUTH  WATER  STREET, 

Sole  Agents  for  Laflin  Bro's  Blue  and  White 
Laid  and  Wove  Letter  Cap,  Flat  Cap,  Commer- 
cial, Note,  Medium,  Demy  and  other  papers. 

Also — Sole  Agents  for  Crane  &  Co.'s  Super 
Colored  Medium,  Bond,  Tissue  and  Envelope 
Papers,  and  Crane  &  Wilson's  Laid  Envelopes. 

Printers'  Cards  and  f^ard  Board  constantly  on 
hand.  Orders  respectfully  solicited. 


CHICAGO  WAGON  AND  PLOW  MANUFACTORY. 
A  great  variety  of 

WAGONS,  BUGGIES,  PLOWS, 

Of  latest  and  most  improved  styles,  on  hand  and 
for  sale  by 

HENRY  WITBECK, 

CORNER  OF  RANDOLPH  AND  JEFFERSON  STS. 

E.  WHATITEY7 

(FORMERLY  SHERWOOD  &  WHATLEY,) 
Wholesale  dealer  in  all  kinds  of 

GOLD  AND  SILVER  WATCHES, 
FANCY  GOODS,  ETC., 

93  Lake  Street,  Corner  of  Dearborn, 

Tremont  Building,  Chicago,  111. 

Constantly  on  hand  a  large  assortment  of  rich 
Fancy  Goods  and  Jewelry,  Pocket  Cutlery,  Mu- 
sical Instruments,  Fine  Britannia  Ware,  Cake 
Baskets,  Silver  Spoons,  etc ,  which  will  be  sold 
as  low  as  can  be  bought  in  the  Eastern  markets. 

N.  B.  Watches  and  Clocks  of  all  kinds  re- 
paired in  the  best  manner,  and  warranted. 


STATIONERS'  HALL. 

NO.  81  LAKE  STREET,  (Tremoat  Block.) 


BRADLEY, 

BOOKSELLERS,  PUBLISHERS, 

STATIONERS, 

AND 

BLANK  BOOK  MANUFACTURERS, 

The  Subscribers  keep  constantly  on  hand 
a  complete  assortment  of  everything 
in  their   line  of  business,  and 
manufacture  every  de- 
scription of 


ledgers, 
Journals, 
Day  Books,  Bill  Books, 


CONSISTING    OF 
Invoice  Books,    Note  Books, 
Cash  Books,        Eeceipt  Books, 


Memorandums,  &o 


BANK  AND  THE  BOOKS, 

RECORDS,  DOCKETS,  REGISTERS,  &c  , 
Made  to  order  at  short  notice,  (with  or 
without  printed  forms  and  paging)  on 
fine  Linen  paper,  and  executed  by  the 
best  of  New  York  workmen. 

ORNAMENTAL  BINDING, 

In  Turkey  Morocco,  Calf,  Russia^Ex- 

tra  Gilt,  and  all  varieties  of  new 

and  eleg-ant  styles,  -with 

dispatch. 


THE  FIRST  PREMIUM 

For  the  best  work  was  awarded  to  the 
Subscribers  at  the  last  Annual  Fair  of  the 
AMERICAN  INSTITUTE  in  New  York. 


F.  MUNSON. 


81   LAKE  ST,        S.  BRADLEY 


77 


W.  T.  &,  A.  H   PITKIN, 

IMPORTERS  AND  DEALERS  IN  FOREIGN  AND  DOMESTIC 

HARDWARE  CUTLERY,  ETC., 

BLACKSMITH,     MILLWRIGHT,    CARPENTER    AND 
CABINET   TOOLS, 

FARMING  IMPLEMENTS, 

[Wo.   103    South  Water  Street, 
O3E3CIOAG-O. 

F.  H.  BENSON  &  CO., 
LAND  AGENTS  AND  REAL  ESTATE 

AND  STOCK  BROKERS, 
Wo.   46   Clark   Street,   Chicago. 

Buy  and  sell  Real  Estate  and  Stocka  on  com- 
mission; Negotiate  Loans  of  Money  on  Keal  Es- 
tate or  Personal  Securities-,  Examine  Titles.  Rent 
Houses,  -  ollect  Claims,  etc.,  etc. 

Having  been  residents  of  this  city  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  and  engaged  in  a  business  that  has 
given  us  an  extensive  acquaintance  both  in  the 
city  and  country,  we  hope  to  be  rendered  able  to 
make  it  to  the  advantage  of  paities  wishing  to 
transact  tmsiness  in  our  line  to  give  us  a  call. 

We  have  applications  constantly  on  hand  for 
Houses  and  Lots  in  and  near  the  city.  Also, 
vacant  '  ity  Lots  and  Lands,  improved  Farms, 
and  unimproved  Farming  Lands,  etc. 

Persons  wishing  to  sell  their  property,  or  pe1- 
sons  wishing  to  purchase,  are  respectfully  invited 
to  call  and  see  us. 

jnfjTNo  charge  on  property  left  with  us  unless 
it  is  sold. 

Office  open  from  8  A.  M.  to  8  P.  M. 

We  have  the  honor  to  refer  to  the  following 
gemleinen,  for  whom  we  have  transacted  busi- 
ne.-s  in  our  line: 

Forest  Uro's  &  Co.,  Bankers.  Chicago. 

A.  J.  Brown,  Pres't  Union  Bank,  Chicago. 

Rev.  P.  Judson,  Agent  Northwestern  Univer- 
sity 

Rev.  P.  T.  Hinman,  President  Northwestern 
University. 

Dr.  J.  Evans,  President  Board  of  Trustees. 

Messrs  Sciipps  &  Bross,  Editors  Demociatic 
Pre§^ 

!>.  L.  Brown,  Esq. 

George  F.  Foster,  Esq. 

W.  M.  Doughty,  Agent  Methodist  Book  Con- 
cern. 

Rev.  H.  Crews,  Galena,  111 

Rev.  Henry  Cox,  Newark,  X.  J. 

Henry  Price,  Esq.,     " 

T.  &  G  Fox,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 


LEWIS  W.  CLARK, 
GENERAL  INSURANCE   AGENT. 

Marine,  Fire,  and  Lite  insurance, 

EFFl-CTKD  ON  THE  MOST  FATORAB1.E  TERMS  BY 

JOSEPH  B.  HENSHAW, 
100    RANDOLPH   STREET,   CHICAGO. 


ISAAC  SPEER, 

Wholesale  and  Retail  Dealer  in 


PLATED  &  BRITANNIA  WAKE,  TOYS,  &C., 

NO.  77  LAKE  STREET, 
A  few  Doors  East  of  the  Iremint  House, 

CHICAGO,    ILL. 

Also,  Manufacturer  of  Jewelry  and  Silver 
Ware  Watches,  Clocks,  and  Jewelry  carefully 
repaired  and  warranted. 


F.  GRANGER  ADAMS, 

BANKER  AND  EXCHANGE  BROKER, 
No.  44  Clark  Street,  Chicago,  111. 

Collections  made  and  remitted  by  Draft  on 
New  York  at  ^  per  cent.  Not-  s  payable  with 
Exchange  remitted  for  without  charge  for  com- 
mission. 

Western  Bank  Notes  converted  upon  the  most 
liberal  terms. 

Dealer  in  Land  Warrants— Remittances  to 
England,  Ireland,  and  Scotland — Dealer  in  Specie, 
&c ,  &c. 

RKKFRBN-CE— J.  Thompson,  Esq.,  No.  2  Wall 
street,  corner  of  Broadway,  New  York. 


R.  HERVEY. 


J.  P.  CLAKKSON- 


HERVEY  &  CLAM  0;J, 
Attorneys  and  Counsellors  at  Law, 

AND  SOLICITOUS  IN  CHANCERY. 
Office  No.  44  ('lark  strool,  Cliic«£<>,  III. 

Commissioners  for  the  State  of  Massachusetts, 
Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  "Virginia,  North  Caro- 
lina, Kentucky,  Michigan,  Wisconsin  and  Florid*. 


SOLOMON  L.  SHARP.         E.  RANDOLPH  SMITH, 

SHARP,  SMITH  &  CO., 


AND 

REAL  ESTATE  BROKERS, 

NO  98,  RANDOLPH  ST  ,  CHICAGO,  ILL. 

"JOHN  A.  BB.CSS, 
ATTORNEY  AND  SOLICITOR, 

Office  in  the  U.  S.  Marshal's  Room, 
123  Lake   Street,  Chicago. 

«fe 


Importers  and  Wholesale  Dealers  in 

DRUGS,  ME  ICINES,  CHEMCALS, 

Surgical  and  Dental  Instruments,  Paints,  Oils, 
Dye-Stuffs,  Druggists'  Glassware,  Window  Glass, 
Daguerreotype  Apparatus,  Plates  and  Cases, 
14O  Lake  SI  reef,  Chicago. 


BROWN  &  WILDER, 

IMPORTERS    OF 

CHINA,GLASS,EARTHENWARE7 

Looking-glasses,  Cutlery,  Gas  Fixtures,  etc., 
L.6  LAKE  STREET,  CHICAGO. 


78 


BOSTON  AND  NEW  YORK 

WHOLESALE    AND    KETAIL 

PIANO    FORTE    WARE    ROOMS. 


Having  been  appointed  sole  agents  for  the 
sale  of  Hallet,  Davis  &  Co.'s  Grand,  Semi-Grand, 
and  Square;  Brown  &  Allen's  Grand,  Semi-Grand 
and  Square;  T.  Gilbert  &  Co.'s  Circular  Scale  and 
vEolians;  A.  W.  Ladd  &  Co.'s  Grand  Diagonal 
and  Square;  D.  B.  Newhall's  Grand  Diagonal  and 
Square;  Lemuel  Gilbert's 

GRAND   BOUDOIR 

And  Square  Piano  Fortes;  Geo.  A.  Prince  &  Co.'s 
celebrated  Melodeons. 

All  instruments  sold  by  us  are  fully  warranted 
and  will  be  sold  at  factory  prices. 

RJElvW  &  W  ATKINS, 
No.  51  Randolph.  Street,  3  Doors  from  State, 
CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS. 

J.  H.  REED  &,  CO,~ 

Jobbers  and  Retailers  of 
DRUGS,  MEDICINES,  PERFUMERY, 

Paints,  Oils,  Glass,  Brushes,  Dye-Stuffs,  etc. 

A  large  stock  of  Dental  and  Surgical  Instruments 

Teeth,  Foil,  etc. 

144  LAKE  STREET,  CHICAGO. 
J.  A.  SMITH.  C.  B.  SMITH. 

J,  A,  SMITH  &  CO,, 

Manufacturers  and  Wholesale  Dealers  in 

HATS,  CAPS,  AND  FUR  GOODS, 

Straw,  Leghorn,  Panama  and  Palm  Leaf  Hats' 
Buffalo  Robes  and  Overshoes;  India  Rubber 
Goods  of  all  kinds. 

110  LAKE  STREET,  CHICAGO. 

GEO.  STEEL  &,  CO., 

PfiODUCE  &  COMMISSION  MERCHANTS, 
Cor.  South  Water  and  LaSallc  Sts. 

CHICAGO,  ILL. 
GEO.  STEEL,        WM.  CLARK,        S.  M5KICHAN. 


MOULD  &  GREENE'S 

CHICAGO 


We  are  SOLE  AGENTS  ia  Chicago 


FOR   THE   SALE    OF   THE 


T.  B.  CARTER, 

FANCY  &  STAPLE  DRY  GOODS, 

AT  WHOLESALE  AND  RETAIL, 

INTo.  136  Xjct]lx.€»  Street, 

CHICAGO,  ILL. 


PIANO  FORTES 

OF 

CII1CKERING  &  SOWS,     Boston, 
IIALLETT  &  CUMSTON,         " 
BACOJV  &  RAVEN,        New  York, 
W.  P.  EMERSON.  Boston, 

Whose  Pianos  have  been  long  and  thoroughly  tested 
by  the  best  Musical  Professors  in  the  country,  and 
huve  been  by  them  pronounced  to  be 

TOE    BEST    FIAXOS 

made  in  the  United  States.  A  full  ;iud  complete 
stock  of  the  different  styles  may  at  all  times  be 
found  at  our  Rooms, 

NO,  98  LAKE  STREET, 

For  Sale  at  the  LOWEST  FACTORY  PRICES,  arid 
m  the  MOST  LIBERAL  TERMS. 

All  Pianos  bought  of  us  will  be  FULLY  "WAR- 
RANTED, and  taay  be  depended  upon  as  being  ol 
the  BEST  QUALITY,  as  we  will  sell  none  other 

Q&~  Old  Pianos  taken  in  par:  payment  for  new.  _ffl 


NOTICE    PARTICULAR, 

Constantly  on  band  a  full  assortment  of  the  latest 
Sheet  Music, 

MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS 

Of  all  kinds.     Bands  furnished    at  the  lowest 
prices. 

This  house  is  the  oldest  and  largest  establish- 
ment in  Chicago,  and  has  unequaled  facilities  for 
furnishing  goods  and  Musical  Instruments  at  the 
lowest  wholesale  prices. 

MOULD  &  GREENE, 

98  Lake  Street 


79 


PROGRESS  OF 

WESTERN  JOURNALISM. 

THE  CHICAGO  DEMOCRATIC  PRESS 

ESTABLISHMENT. 


From  the  Daily  Press  of  August  23, 1854. 

The  newspaper  has  become  the  great  living 
voice  of  the  present,  through  which  it  gives  ut- 
terance to  its  wants,  its  opinions,  its  commenda- 
tions and  censures,  its  sorrows  and  its  joys,  its 
triumphs  and  defeats,  its  fears  and  its  aspirations. 
It  is  the  medium  through  which  are  configured 
within  the  field  of  vision  all  things  both  distant 
and  near  in  point  of  space;  and  it  is  the  magical 
mirror  in  which  the  past  is  daily  pictured,  the 
present  daguerreotyped,  and  the  future  presented 
in  long-drawn  perspective.  Weak  and  compara- 
tively insignificant  in  its  beginning,  it  has  grown 
to  be  the  controlling  power  in  the  nation.  It  is, 
in  fact,  the  universal  law-giver  of  the  country, 
pushing  its  power  into  every  domain  of  human 
life — into  its  politics,  its  religions,  its  social  and 
domestic  affairs,  its  public  and  private  economies, 
its  arts,  its  sciences,  its  professions,  and  its 
trades — ruling  as  the  competent  and  rightful 
monarch  of  all.  Such  is  the  newspaper  in  the 
age  in  which  we  live — such  its  influence,  its  po- 
tent sway,  its  power  for  right  or  wrong,  its  un- 
namable  and  not  to  be  estimated  responsibilities. 

The  Democratic  Press  was  established  Sep- 
tember Kith,  1852.  It  commenced  with  a  list  of 
something  over  one  hundred  subscribers  to  the 
daily  edition,  and  of  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
to  the  weekly.  Without  any  special  effort  to 
procure  subscribers,  except  so  far  as  laboring 
assiduously  to  make  it  the  best  paper  in  the 
country  may  be  regarded  as  a  special  effort,  our 
list  has  constantly  increased,  until  now  (August 
21st)  we  have  a  daily  circulation  of  2,064,  and  a 
circulation  of  our  weekly  edition  of  4, 080.  With- 
in a  few  months  past,  to  answer  an  unmistakable 
and  rapidly  growing  want  along  the  lines  of  our 
railroads,  we  also  commenced  the  issue  of  a  tri- 
weekly edition,  of  which  we  now  circulate  with- 
in a  fraction  of  200  copies.  This  makes  our  to- 
tal issue  per  week  16,968,  and  per  year,  882,336 
copies.  But  to  give  a  more  correct  idea  of  oar 
business,  in  all  its  departments,  we  will  lay  be- 
fore the  reader  some  facts  connected  with  the 
actual  cost  at  which  it  is  sustained.  And  first  we 
will  present  a  tarmiar  statement  of  the  operative 
force  employed  in  it: 

Editorial  Staff 4 

Traveling  and  I*ocal  Correspondents 5 

Foreman.  Newspaper  OJSce 1 

Compositors,  Newspaper  Office 8 

Boy,  Newspaper  Olfice 1 

Proprietor  and  Foreman,  Job  Office 2 

Compositors  and  Pressman 8 

Boy 1 

Foreman  and  Assistant,  Press  Koom 8 

Feeders 6 

Engineers 2 

Accountant 1 

Mailing  Clerk 1 

Collectors : 8 

City  Carriers b 

Total 60 

When  we  add  that  nearly  all  of  the  above  are 
heads  of  families,  it  will  be  seen  that  quite  a 
respectable  army  derive  subsistence,  and  several 


of  them  are  growing  up  to  substantial  independ- 
ence, through  the  success  of  the  Democratic 
Press. 

Our  JOB  OFFICE  occupies  two  rooms — one  18 
by  70  feet,  the  other  18  by  54  feet.  These  rooms 
are  fitted  up  and  stocked  with  all  the  various  ma- 
terial requisite  for  a  first  class  book  and  job  office 
The  visitor  will  find  in  them,  in  addition  to  an  end- 
less variety  of  type  and  ornaments,  two  beautiful 
power  presses,  one  of  Hoe's  manufacture,  the 
other  of  Adams',  driven  by  a  steam  engine  placed 
in  the  Press  Room  below,  and  which  are  em- 
ployed solely  for  book  and  job  work.  Beside 
these,  he  will  observe  in  active  operation,  one 
Foster's  Washington  Mammoth  Hand  Press, 
Hoe's  Washington  Medium  ditto,  Taylor's  Impe- 
rial ditto,  Taylor's  Medium  ditto,  and  Hoe's  Card 
Press — in  all  seven  presses.  It  is  rare,  indeed, 
that  any  one  of  these  ever  has  the  opportunity  of 
standing  idle,  and  when  it  does  it  is  not  from  the 
want  of  business,  but  of  hands.  If  the  visitor  has 
time  he  will  be  interested  in  examining  various 
splendid  specimens  of  printing  which  have  been 
executed  in  this  establishment,  and  in  every  part 
of  it  he  will  be  more  than  delighted  in  witnessing 
the  efficiency  with  which  work  is  turned  out. 

Passing  out  of  the  rooms  devoted  to  this 
branch  of  business,  we  descend  a  stairway  and 
enter  the  PRESS  ROOM.  Here  the  unitiated  vis- 
itor will  find  much  to  excite  his  wonder  and  ad- 
miration. The  room  is  18  by  70  feet,  and  con- 
tains one  of  Hoe's  large  Cylinder  Presses,  and 
one  ditto  of  Adams'.  These  two  presses  are  kept 
running  constantly,  from  1  o'clock  Monday  morn- 
ing until  12  o'clock  Saturday  night,  employing 
two  foremen,  four  feeders  and  two  engineers,  who 
alternate  with  each  other  once  every  twelve 
hours.  During  a  portion  of  the  time  since  they 
were  put  in  operation,  we  have  printed  upon 

!  them  of  dailies,  tri-weeklies,  weeklies,  monthlies, 
Ac.,  twenty-one  different  issues.  But  our  own 

i  issues  having  largely  increased,  as  well  as  some 

I  of  those  which  we  print  for  our  neighbors,  we 
find  that  seventeen  different  editions  are  as  much 
as  our  presses  can  turn  out. 

These  seventeen  different  papers,  aside  from 
the  extra  editions  printed,  give,  in  round  num- 
bers, 12,807  sheets  printed  per  day — 76,842 
sheets  per  week,  and  3,995,784  sheets,  or  7,991,- 

|  568  impressions  per  year!  Here  is  a  fact  which 
it  may  be  profitable  for  all  classes  of  people  to 
consider;  but  we  cannot  stop  for  that  purpose  now. 
These  two  power  presses,  as  well  as  the  two  in 
the  job  room  above,  are  driven  by  a  steam  en- 
gine which  we  regard  as  one  of  the  most  perfect 
specimens  of  mechanical  ingenuity  and  skill  we 
have  ever  seen.  When  we  established  ourselves 
in  our  present  business,  we  purchased  an  engine 
which  we  regarded  as  amply  large  to  do  any 
amount  of  printing  that  we  should  be  called 
upon  to  execute,  at  least  until  the  engine  should 
wear  out.  But  so  much  had  our  business  increased, 
we  had  to  supply  its  place  with  a  larger"  one  be- 
fore the  end  of  twelve  months,  and  this  second 
one,  which  we  thought  surely  would  do,  we  have 
have  had  to  throw  out  before  it  is  twelve  months 
old,  for  the  same  reason  that  we  did  its  prede- 
cessor. In  this  emergency  we  applied  to  our 
friend  H.  P.  Moses,  as  the  very  man  most  likely 


80 


to  afford  us  the  relief  our  condition  required.  We 
told  him  and  his  accomplished  foreman,  N.  Wiard, 
what  we  wanted,  and  it  is  but  poor  praise  to  say 
that  our  wishes  have  been  met  in  every  particu- 
lar. The  engine  is  capable  of  being  worked  up 
to  twenty-five  horse  power,  and  will  run  sixteen 
presses  such  as  we  have  described  above.  If  we 
have  not  over-estimated  the  growth  of  our  cry 
and  country,  we  shall  want  all  of  that  number  be- 
fore our  paper  is  five  years  older.  Since  this  en- 
gine has  been  running,  hundreds  of  visitors  have 
looked  at  it,  and,  without  a  single  exception,  eacl: 
has  awarded  to  it  the  merit  which  is  claimed  for 
it  above.  We  could  not  conceive  of  anything 
more  beautiful,  both  as  respects  thearnngeineut 
and  proportion  of  its  parts  and  the  perfect  finish 
which  is  everywhere  visible,  and  the  smooth,  even 
and  noiseless  manner  in  which  it  does  ita  work. 
We  regard  it  us  a  feather  in  the  cap  of  Chicago 
that  she  can  show  so  admirable  a  specimen  of 
mechanical  perfection  as  this  same  engine,  built 
at  the  machine  shop  of  >j.  P.  iiioses.  The  boiler 
is  of  the  locomotive  character,  built  of  Lake  u- 
perior  iron,  by  our  friend  0.  Keissig,  one  of  the 
best  mechanics  in  the  city,  and  is,  in  every  sense, 
worthy  the  engine  which  it  accompanies. 

Having  feasied  his  eyes  upon  the  many  things 
we  have  noticed  above,  and  upon  the  m;my  more 
which  we  have  not  noticed,  the  visitor,  having 
got  away  from  the  clanking  and  rattling  of  the 
pre-'ses,  involuntarily  says  to  himself,  "Who 
would  have  thought  it?  Who  could  have  sup- 
posed that  a  place  which  but  twenty  years  ago 
was  meiely  an  Indian  trading  post,  would  so  soon 
furnihh  business  tor  so  large  an  establishment, 
costing  so  much,  and  whose  daily  expenses  must 
run  up  to  a  high  figure?"  Seeing  him  wearing  a 
puzzled  look  as  he  speaks  of  the  "daily  expenses" 
of  our  establishment,  we  will  relieve  him  by  pre- 
senting a  few  statistics  under  that  head.  Here 
is  what  we  paid  during  the  last  twelve  months 
for  the  simple  item  of  gas-light— an  item,  by  the 
way,  which  had  not  occurred  to  our  visitor: 

Gas  bill  for  year  ending  July  1st $40954 

^-•ut  that  is  a  very  small  and  insignificant  item; 
go  we  proceed  to  state  that  our  books  show  the 
expenses  of  the  establishment  during  the  yea.1 
closing  to-day,  including  labor,  cost  of  white  pa- 
per, fuel,  lights,  insurance,  interest  on  capital 
employed,  wear  of  material,  &c.,  &c.,  to  have 
been  as  fallows: 

Expenses  p  r  d-ty (121  11 

"     week 72-i  60 

"     year . 37,*>i  J2 

Our  white  paper  alone,  not  including  the  large 
amount  used  in  the  jobbing  department,  costs  us 
$2'.1.43  per  day,  i 1 7 6,58  per  week,  and  $D,1<J2.16 
per  year.  This  item  will  cost  us  a  vast  deal  more 
money  next  ye.ir,  if  we  may  judge  from  the  man- 
ner in  whicu  our  subscription  list  is  increasing. 

We  might  particularize  to  almost  any  extent, 
but  the  above  will  accomplish  the  object  we  hud 
in  view,  viz:  to  convey  some  adequate  idea  of  the 
rapid  growth  arid  magnitude  of  the  newspaper 
business  of  our  city  and  of  the  West.  We  have 
only  to  a-iil  to  what  has  gone  before,  that  the  re- 
ceipts of  our  establishment  have,  in  addition  to 
meeting  ail  expenses,  furnished  us  the  very  best 
reason  for  being  satisfied  with  our  business. 


Third  Volume — New  Arrangement, 

From  the  Daily  Press  of  Sept.  16th.  1»5I. 
We  have  the  pleasure  of  announcing  to  our 
readers  and  friends  generally,  that  we  have  taken 
into  our  firm  Mr.  BARTON  W.  SPEARS,  late  of  the 
Ohio  Statesman.  The  arrangement  is  one  that 
we  have  long  de  sireo!  to  make.  Our  business  has 
grown  upon  our  hands  far  beyond  anticipation, 
and  neither  of  the  original  proprietors  being  a 
practical  printer,  it  became  obvious,  long  tonce, 
that  (o  fully  complete  our  establishment,  the  co- 
operation of  another  man  competent  to  direct  the 
operative  portion  of  it  was  absolutely  essential. 
This  we  should  have  secured  long  since,  but  a 
difficulty  met  us  at  the  threshold  which  we  could 
not  at  once  surmount.  There  are  thousands  of 
good  printers  to  be  had,  but  we  wanted  some- 
thing more—  we  wanted  executive  and  business 
talent,  as  well  as  practical  skill,  and  all  these  are 
not  often  combined  in  the  same  person  After 
extensive  correspondence  and  repeated  inter- 
views with  gome  of  the  most  successful  publishers 
of  the  country,  we  became  satisfied  that  Mr. 
Spears  was  the  man  we  wished,  provided  we 
could  make  a  satisfactory  arrangement  with  him. 
This  we  have  at  length  accomplished,  and  we  can 
very  confidently  assure  our  patrons  that  it  will 
prove  eminently  satisfactory  to  them  as  well  as 
advantageous  to  ourselves.  We  shall  have  more 
leisure  to  devote  to  the  business  of  editing,  while 
his  attention  to  the  arrangement  and  execution  of 
the  mechanical  department  will  insure  to  readers 
a  sheet  of  unexceptionable  appearance. 

Mr.  Spears  is  a  thorough  master  of  his  art — a 
man  of  gre*it  energy  and  indomitable  persever- 
ance. He  is  perfectly  at  hoiuebin  his  knowledge 
of  all  the  machinery  of  a  first  c!a-s  modern  steam 
printing  establishment,  and  under  his  superintend- 
ence we  shall  fear  no  competition,  either  as  re- 
spects the  excellence  of  our  work  or  the  prompt- 
ness with  wh-ch  it  shall  be  executed.  Our  .Mich- 
igan friends  will  recognize  in  Mr  Spears  an  old 
acquaintance,  for  many  years  one  of  the  editors 
and  proprietors  of  the  Monroe  Commercial  a 
leading  and  influential  organ  of  the  emocratic 
party;  and  they  will  doubtless  be  pleased  to  learn, 
that  while  they  have  lost  a  good  cit'/en  .and  earn* 
e<t  a  Ivoc:it3  of  genuine  dem..c.acy,  he  has  placed 
himsef  in  a  wider  sphere  of  usefulness,  when;  he 
can  exercise,  t>  'he  fullest  scope,  tho-e  qualities 
which  ren  !e  ed  him  a  favorite  at  home  as  well  as 
a  successful  business  man. 

In  entering  upon  a  new  volume,  we  deem  the 
occasion  a  fitting  one  to  ofterour  heartfelt  thanks 
to  the  many  friends  and  patrons  of  the  Demo- 
cratic Prcxt,  for  the  favor  with  which  they  have 
uniformly  received  our  eff'oits  to  serve  them  in 
the  capacity  of  public  journalists.  We  can,  and 
do  assure  them,  that  neither  effort  or  expense 
shall  be  spared  to  make  our  paper  a  truthful  ex- 
ponent of  the  gre;it  and  growing  West.  Already, 
we  are  proud  to  say,  it  is  generally  recognized  as 
a  medium  through  which  the  leading  minds  of  the 
country  give  expression  to  their  views  upon  the 
various  topic?  connected  with  the  important  inte- 
rests which  are  springing  up  in  our  luidsr.  To 
m  lintain  the  character  already  gained,  in  this  re- 
gard, shall  be  our  highest  pride,  and  shall  corn- 
maud  our  best  and  constant  efforts. 


J.   H.  REES  &  CO., 


if  illy 


:e?« 
48  CLARK  STREET, 

WILL    ATTEND    TO    THE 


INVESTIGATION  OF  TITLES  TO  LANDS  IKOORCO.JLL. 

3ESTO., 


JAMES    If.    KEES. 


SAMCKL    B.     I'HASK. 


J.  H.  REES  &  Co.,  having  full.  and  complete  indices  to  the  Records  of  Took  County,  (of 
which  Chicago  is  the  county  seat,)  showing  all  Conveyances  on  record,  relating,  regularly  or 
irregularly,  to  any  specific  piece  of  property  —  having  also  transciipts  of  all  the  judgments  of 
the  several  Courts  of  Record  in  Cook  County  -having  also  indexed  copies  of  the  Records  of  the 
regular  and  special  City  and  County  Tax  Sales  in  Cook  County  —  these  indices  and  transciipts 
being  the  only  books  of  the  kind  in  Chicago  —  tender  their  services  to  the  public  generally  in 
furnishing  Abstract*  of  Titles. 

ftW  They  are  prepared  at  all  times  to  do  CONVEYANCING  in  all  its  branches. 


anfo  CM  Engineers, 


Are  prepared  to  survey  City  Lots,  and  Lands  lying  beyond  the  City  limits.  Par- 
ticular attention  will  be  given  to  the  subdivision  and  planting  of  Lots,  Blocks  and  Lands  gene- 
rally ;  also  to  the  establishing  of  lines  for  fencing. 

HANCHETT  &  GREELE  will  also  attend  to  the  laying  out  and  construction  of  Plank  Roads,  Rail- 
roads, Water  Powers,  and  such  matters  as  fall  within  the  Province  of  the  Civil  Engineer. 

MR.  HANCHETT  retains  his  office  as  Engineer  to  the  '  OOK  COUNTY  DRAINAGE  i  OMMISSIONERS, 
and  will  attend  to  all  matters  relating  to  the  drainage  of  lands  in  the  city  and  its  vicinity. 

Office,  No,  48  Clark  Street,  Third  Stcry. 


R  E  FE  R  E  N  C  E  S  : 


Me«srs.  REES  <fe  KERFOOT, 
Dr.  C.  V.  DYEU, 


LUTHER  HAVEN,  Esq.. 
E.  C.  LARNED,  Esq. 


BOARD  OF  REAL  ESTATE 


JAMES  II.  REES,  President, 
J.  B.  RUSSELL,  Vice  President. 


SAMUEL  II.  KERFOOT,  Secretary. 
THOMAS  WEBB,  Treasurer. 


Communications  regarding  business  of  the  Board  to  be  addressed  to  the  Secretary. 


THE  DEMOCRATIC  PRESS, 

J 

3  Bniltj,  Cri-Brrkltj  nnii  'IBrtkiij  3ournnl 
POLITICS,  LITERATURE,  MM,  COMMERCE  &  NEWS:' 

EDITED  AND  PUBLISHED  AT  CHICAGO, 

BY  SCRIPTS,  BROSS  &  SPEARS, 

J.  L.    SCRIPTS.  WILLIAM   BKOSS.  IJ.   W.  SI'K.VKS. 

FURNISHED  TO  SUBSCKIIH- IIS  AT  THE  FOLLOW! NG  HATES : 
DAILY,  -        -        in  advance,      $6,00    per  annum. 

TRI-WEEKLY,  "  4,00 

five  copies,  "  18.CO 

"  "        ten  copies,  "  35,00 

WEEKLY,  single  copy,  "  1,50 

"  five  copies,  6,00 

ten  copies.  "  10,00 

COUNTRY  MERCHANTS  will  find  it  to  their  interest  to  take  the  DATI.Y. 


The  Publishers  offer  THE   DEMOCRATIC  PRESS  to  the  people  of  the  North 

West  with  full  confidence  that  they  will  be  able  to  make  it  a  welcome  and  profitable 

visitor  to  all  classes  of  readers.  The  Politics  of  the  "Press"  will  be  GEXIMXKLY 

DEMOCRATIC.     But  it  is  not  intended  to  fill  its  columns  with  political 

discussions  to  the  exclusion  of  other  interesting  subjects. 

AIL  Til  fifii&T  pI&TJOHS  Of  IHI  D  IT 

Will  receive  more  or  less  attention,  and 

THE    DEPARTMENT    OF    NEWS 

Miall  always  have  precedence  of  everything  else.     The  PubHsheis  flatter  themselves  that  they 

can  make  a  paper  which  will  be  sought  after  by  those  who  differ  from  them  on  political  subjects, 

4  from  the  fact  tlmt  they  will  devote  large  spare  to  other  topics.     The  IMPR<WEMKXTS  now  going  on 

in  the  country  will  receive  special  attention  ;  and,  in  short,  whatever  has  a  tendency  to  developc 

the  resources  of  our  great  North-West,  and  improve  the  minds  and  fit-arts  of  the  people,  .-hall 

find  in  the  "Press''  an  ardent  and  persevering  advocate.     Its 

3VC  .A.  :R.  IKL  E  T    FL  E!  I*  O  IR.  T  S 

Will  be  made  up  carefully  by  one  of  the  Editors,  and  may  be  r.-lied  upon  as  "riving-  the  correct 

state  of  thfc'Market.     In  additior-  to  the  usual  Reports  of  Sales  of  all  kinds  ot  Country 

Produce  and  leading  articles  of  Merchai>d:se,  the  "  Pi-ess"  will  contain  a 

ITJ^Ipyr  V    nn^IIlFPVr    f*F>    Tirrrn    T  njrn    n  Tinny    >/A'Ol/Eirn 

wMiLi  mlWiiljW  ut1  nitij  Liv.iS  5iubil  Mmiisill 

Reporting  all  the  sale^of  Hoi-ges,  Cattle,  Hogs,  Sheep,  etc  ,  that  have  been  made  during  the  week. 

13?"  Such  a  paper  is,  greatly  needed  at  the  present  time';  and  the  'Publishers  confidently  anti- 
cipate a  liberal  share  of  public  patronage  while  laboring  to  meet  this  pulJic  want. 

t3pT~TilK  DEMOCRATIC  -pitEss  bus  the  largest  circulation  of  any  paper  in  the  city,  and  is  >>y  far 
the  best  medium  of  advertising  in  «  hicngo. 

^g"  Specimen  numbers  will  («e  sent  by  mail,  when  requseted. 
v  5t^~  Money  enclosed  in  a  strong  envelope  may  be  sent  by  mail  at  our  risk. 

SCKIPPS,  BROSS  &  SPEAKS. 
Office,  No.  45  Clark  St.,  two  doors  North  of  the  Post  Office. 


JOB  AMD  BOOK  WORK  OF  ALL  KIND* 

Executed  in  the  neatest  and  best  possible  manner,  and  at  the  shortest  notice. 

3=»  -A.  Gi-  !E3        "Z  4= 


